Secret of the Stars
by J.M.Spellbound
Summary: Sequel. War has a way of bringing all truths to light. It never allows secrets to stay secret for long. Not even the one Optimus Prime, Ironhide, and the rest of the Autobots guard. Darkness is closing in on little Bumblebee, no matter how hard his adopted family tries to stop it, and the truth is about to come out. A truth, they might not be able to protect him from.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.**

**However, the plot and any OCs are mine.**

**Alright, chapter 1 of the sequel to _Right Where You Belong!_**

**As promised here it is. **

**There is a bit of a time jump between this chapter and the last chapter of the first story. Just to let you know.**

**Hope you enjoy it as much as I do!**

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Chapter 1

There were two things that little Bumblebee was absolutely certain of at the moment. One, when Hide found out what the twins had done now he was going to blow a gasket. And two, this was the most fun he'd had in the history of ever! End of discussion.

Laughing loudly, Bee clung tightly to Sideswipes neck as he and Sunstreaker raced though the towering black pillars that lined the ancient city. Playfully blasting at each other, the rocks, the sky, anything that seemed to amuse the youngling as they went on exploring the ruins of the once great empire. They knew what it had been, but to Bee it was just a foreign wonderland that made his baby blue optics widen and glitter with glee.

It was the mischievous adventure the youngling had been craving since he could walk on his own and Sunny and Sides had decided that they would give it to him. No matter how many dents they were going to get out of it in the end.

Because after all it _was_ Bumblebee's spark-orn.

The orn he turned nine vorns old about the equivalent of a human six year old. A true milestone, and the twins were dead set that his ninth vorn would be a million times better than theirs had been. Which lead them to sneak into Hide's chambers in the wee breems of morning, snatch the slumbering youngling from his berth, and leave _Artemis 1 _in their wake. At least for a little while.

They tiny yellow mech hardly big enough to circle his arms around Side's neck was positively glowing with glee when Sides came to a sliding halt on the edge of a rocky outcrop over looking what once had been a towering capital building. Now it was nothing more than a pile of silver steel and bent metal. To the twins it was a sad reminder of what they had watched fall, but it was worth the memoires that returned each time Bee's laughter filled their audio receptors.

Out here, away from the sight of the Autobot crew, neither had to pretend that over the past vorns they both hadn't fallen completely head over heels for the giggling Half Pint. Out here they could equally show how much they adored him.

Even Sunstreaker, who refused to hold him in public for fear of what it could do to his precious reputation, was showing his affection on their little field trip. Both brothers were well aware that every mech on board the battleship knew how much they cared about Bumblebee. It was an equally felt emotion throughout the ship, but some bots feared their emotions more than others. The two that had locked their sparks away long ago to all but each other were some of the worse. Bee was the first thing either of them had ever run across that changed all that.

That brilliant, bubbly, warm little spark that took in all he cared about was not something that was easily fought off.

Sunstreaker would know, had tired.

It was the first thing in the history of his life he was glad he'd failed at.

"What's that?" Bee questioned excitedly as he pointed into the ruble. Both brothers tensed a little before realizing it was merely a pack of cyber-coyotes scavenging the ruble and not a Decepticon scout, or worse, Ironhide.

"Those are cyber-coyotes, Half Pint." Sides informed him as he held onto the youngling's wiggling feet while Bee clung to the back of the warrior's neck.

"Oh," Bee said in awe at the metallic canine like creatures, each of which would tower over him even if they hardly reached a full grown bots knee plates. "Prowl told me 'bout those."

"Did he?" Sunstreaker shared an amused glance with his twin. If Prowl had it was just with a data chip that Bee had snatched without permission. The stealthily silent second in command bot didn't like the youngling finding out things that would make him want to leave the ship to see the big outside universe anymore than he already did. Yet that really hadn't worked out all that well for him judging by the fact that no bot on board accounted for Sides and Sunny deciding that taking a field trip would be good for the little mech.

Bee nodded quickly. "Said they were mean."

"Well they are. They'd eat you given the chance." Sunny confirmed. Bee tensed in fear, his little spark shivering a little which both mechs who had learned to feel him were aware of. Sides wanted to kick his brother all the way to the Pit for saying something so stupid, but at the same time was well aware that Sunny was already mentally kicking himself at this very moment. The golden warrior hated it when he accidently scared the youngling. He never meant too.

"But we won't let that happen." Sideswipe reassured Bee before heading off toward a different part of the fallen city he wanted to show him. "After all you're with us remember, Half Pint?"

"Uh-huh." Bee laughed repeating the thing he'd been told every time he ended up with the twins for as long as he could remember. "And Sunny and Sides are the best warriors in the entire universe."

"That's right." Sides agreed. "And don't you forget it."

After that the trio fell into an easy silence allowing the twins to readjust to their memories as Bee stared in wonder at all the things he'd only seen on screens and in stories.

He was finally outside, and a quite fascinating outside at that.

When he'd rolled over this morning in his berth buried in two-tone blankets that kept the little youngling in a fortress of fluff too find Sides' and Sunny's mischief filled optics blinking back at him he wasn't sure what was going on, but he hadn't complained while the brothers snuck him from his quarters leaving his massive guardian snoring as they crept out of the ship with stealth that would make Jazz and Prowl proud.

The moment the battleship touched down on the outskirts of what was left of Nova Cronum the twins knew what they had to do. There were ghosts here they needed to bury, and if they could do it while letting Bee tag along than everybot won.

Well that is until Ironhide woke up and found his charge gone.

They were both well aware of what was going to happen then. Though they were willing to accept the punishment that would follow their actions. The absolute glee in those baby blue optics was enough for them to know they were doing the right thing. It wasn't right, nor was it fair, that the mechs that loved their Bee so much had to keep him prisoner just to keep him alive.

Damn that pit slaggin' Shockwave.

The twins blamed him for all of this. Him and that idiotic Skywarp that tried to snatch their Bee. The fear of Megatron and what he was capable of doing to Bumblebee didn't get better with ever vorn that nothing happened, it only got worse. Because there was no way that the murderer didn't know about Bee, was there?

"Look! Look!" Bee practically bounced on Sides neck as he pointed at a shimmering statue that had crumbled in the carnage that destroyed this place, but was still whole enough to tell what it was. At least to the two that had seen it all those vorns ago. "What's that?"

The question had pretty much been none stop since they got outside, but it wasn't like the twins minded. After all the purpose of this field trip was for Bumblebee to have some fun, maybe learn something. At least Sides was thinking they could use that in their argument later about why they'd done this.

"Can't you tell, Half Pint?" Sides reached up, swinging Bee from around his neck and bringing the youngling that still fit in his hand to rest in the crock of his arm. It still amazed Sunstreaker and Sideswipe that the youngling could be so small. He hadn't grown but maybe a few inches in the last vorns. Not that either twin knew much about younglings or how they were supposed to grow, but they also weren't stupid. They'd heard enough, seen enough, of Bee's checkups with Ratchet to know that he was smaller than he should be. Yet if everyone was being honest there wasn't much about Bee that was as it should be.

That brilliant little talent of feeling, connecting, expressing, and everything else he was able to do with that magic spark of his was proof enough of that. How in the universe Bee possessed an ability so similar to the powerful Gift of the mighty Optimus Prime not even the Autobot commander was sure of.

There was a lot about Bee that was still a mystery, running all the way back to the fact that he survived the massacre at Altihex.

"No," Bee shook his tiny yellow head the short perky antennas atop it flicking with curiosity.

"Good 'cuz I don't think they look alike either." Sunny smirked as he stared down at the massive metal statue.

"Who?"

"Optimus and him."

Bee narrowed his optics in confusion as he stared down at the face of the statue of a very large, very powerful looking mech that lay before him. Titling his little head back and forth a few times he found no similarities between his beloved Optimus and that stern, mean, looking statue.

"Nope." He decided shaking his head firmly.

"See it's not just us!" Sunny shouted to the sky waving his arms above his head before his chuckling brother made him regain his composure.

"Try convincing all of Cybertron of that." Sideswipe pointed out. "After all it is his Sire. Most say they looked alike."

"Mega-idiot and him don't look alike. Same goes for said nasty and Prime." Sunstreaker rolled his optics.

"That's a whole other overly complicated and messy story." Sides shock his head.

"True that." Sunny nodded.

"Wait, who?" Bee looked between the towering twins very confused.

"Nothin', Half Pint." Sides quickly assured him running a caring digit over Bee's tiny head. The little yellow mech practically purred, the familiar action bringing him back to fond memories form when he was younger. Even though in technical terms he had only been classified as a youngling for about a breem now as the sun rose a little higher over the horizon. Despite that Bee was fully ready to embrace the term that meant he could claim with a pout that he was older and should be allowed to do more. In his young innocent processor that was one of the adding joys of this little adventure. It made him feel more grown up, more able to help his loving family. It made him think that maybe the underlying tension he could feel every now and again in the sparks of his caretakers would lessen. He still didn't fully understand what these powerful bots feared was going to happen. After all he was in the safety of their care. He was aboard the most powerful battleship in all of the universe, he was the charge of the strongest mech in the universe, and he was the beloved little Bumblebee of the greatest Prime in the history of all Primes. What bad thing could possibly happen to Bee while he was under their watchful gazes?

He didn't see what they had to worry about.

"But who is that?" Bee asked pointing at the face of the statue he didn't really like.

"That is the Prime that came before, Optimus." Sides told him.

"Really?" The youngling asked in awe. Optimus had told him stories about the bot that was his mentor, his leader, his Sire, but the youngling had never seen a resemblance to tie to the stories. Actually seeing what his beloved Optimus talked about was fascinating to the bright little bot. Mainly because the face behind the stories was not one Bee particularly liked.

He much preferred his Prime to that one.

"His designation was Sentinel Prime." Sunstreaker said.

"Designation?"

"Name." Sides clarified.

"Sentinel Prime?" Bee sounded out the name slowly falling back to the habit he'd had forever. In what seemed like a life time ago to the little mech his mother had told him that you could judge a lot about a bot by their name. It was something he'd always kept in his spark. It was how he decided to trust his present family. When he had found himself orphaned, confused, and alone the simple thing he wanted from the bots that had saved him were their names, and from that knowledge the rest of his life had began. He treasured the thing his mother had told him, and as he sat there in Sides' arms thinking over the name of Optimus's sire he was trapped in a unpleasant place.

He didn't really like the name.

At first he could think of nothing wrong with it. It didn't sound mean or threatening. For all reality it wasn't much different than Optimus's, and yet Bee wanted nothing to do with it. Some locked away, still not understood part of his spark, told him not to trust it.

So he didn't.

His notions never led him wrong before. The only problem with that was how was he supposed to tell Optimus he didn't like the bot he'd heard all these stories about?

Bee thought it over quietly for a long time as the twins explored with him for a while longer before they sat down beneath a half fallen wall allowing Bee to play between them as they stared out at the past. Neither really wanted to speak much about what had brought them here so both were completely fine with allowing him to distract them. That was probably what led Sunstreaker to pull Bee up into his lap and play patty-cake with him when Bee turned to look up at him pleadingly.

Now Bumblebee giggled joyfully while he clapped his tiny hands against the palms of the warrior who's were bigger than him. Sunny grinned down at the little mech in return while his bright optics glittered happily as the familiar motions were repeated over and over.

Sunny never played with him like this when other bots were around, but it wasn't something that bothered Bee. He understood why the proud bot did it, and he didn't need Sunny's undying attention at all times. He could feel the love that burned in the bright warrior whenever he was near. That was enough for Bee.

Another round of hand motions ended when Sunny latched onto Bee tickling him lightly along his tender sides sending him into another fit of laughter as the gold mech leaned back against the wall pulling the little youngling up onto his chest allowing him to sit there crossed legged. Bee smiled at him before beginning to busy himself with the several scars that marred Sunstreaker's chest plates.

Bee knew of all the bots on his battleship home Sunny was the most concerned with his appearance, constantly buying new paint, constantly polishing, constantly saying how good he looked. So it confused his clever processor as to why Sunny didn't try to get the three deep lash like gashes that ran around his spark fixed. He knew there were some things that not even Ratchet could fix and sometimes that including scars that damaged a bot to the point that no amount of paint, welding, or medical knowledge was going to fix them. His mighty guardian had a few, even Optimus bore some. They were simply a part of the life Bee knew they lived. He might not yet understand all of this 'war' business, but he'd learned more, faster, than any mech thought he could.

Yet he didn't understand the scars that both twins did nothing to try and cover up.

As his curious little fingers ran over the deep gashes that sliced a few inches into the metal plating that covered the warrior's powerful spark he almost didn't notice how Sunny tensed at the action. However, there was hardly any emotions that passed though sparks he treasured that he missed.

Thinking he'd done something wrong Bee pulled back casting worried optics up to his caretaker.

"Sorry," He whispered.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Half Pint." Sunny assured him quickly poking the little mech in the side to distract him from the souvenirs the warrior had earned a life time ago. The distraction got him a reassured smile as Bee bated him away.

"It's just a long story that replays in this place." Sides explained from where he rested next to the pair watching the little mech explore his brother's scars. Scars so scarily similar to those that marked his own chest one might think they were put there on purpose.

It was sickening how true that assumption was, though none but the twins knew that truth.

Others had guessed.

Only a few were brave enough to question.

Bee tilted his head at the saddening air that danced from both twins. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, Bee." Sunstreaker answered. Reaching to his side the golden warrior snatched up the first thing he found around the ruble offering it up to try and distract the youngling once more. He was sure he would come up with a broken shard of metal or rock, but what his fingers closed around wasn't really what he figured it would be. It just so happened it was the remains of a game piece that had been broken and forgotten in the vorns that it was left rusting in the dust since the city fell.

Bee had no idea what it was, but the strangely shaped little metal piece that took both his hands to hold fascinated him. He thought at one time it must have resembled a ship of some kind with wings that were now broken and paint that had long since faded away leaving nothing other than rusting metal in its wake, but Bee liked it all the same. He twisted the new toy around in his hands making soft engine noises as he pretended to fly it around in front of him completely forgetting what he'd been wondering previously.

With Bumblebee now safely back in the mindset younglings should be allowed to stay in, the twins relaxed again staring out together at the sun that had climbed fully over the horizon. It wouldn't be long now before their field trip would be brought to an end. Some mech aboard that vessel was going to figure out that their most precious member was missing, and once they realized that the twins were gone as well it wouldn't take long to figure out where Bee was.

Neither was that worried though.

They'd given Bee what they felt they needed to for his spark-orn. Even if it was just a few short breems of fresh air and a little broken Strategy War piece.

Breaking though the little puttering noises leaving Bee, Sides leaned over to offer him a wicked grin. "Well Half Pint, enjoying your ninth spark-orn?"

Bee glanced up nodding quickly with a goofy little smile. "Outside is _awesome_!"

"Yeah, well rules still apply." Sunstreaker quickly brought the enthusiastic youngling back down to the planet. "You never, _ever_, try to run off the ship alone. _Ever._"

Bumblebee raised a tiny optics ridge before glancing down at his short stubby little legs. He couldn't run anywhere to save his life. At least not anywhere far. He'd mastered walking half a vorn ago, and running was something that though Ironhide scolded him and plucked him from the ground each time he did it he loved, but couldn't really go too far without tripping over his own feet and landing painful on his faceplate.

However, he decided he would pacify his liberators no matter what he thought he was capable of. "Yes, Sunny."

"This isn't a game, Bumblebee." Sideswipe added. "We're serious. Never try to get off the ship. There are reasons you're not allowed off."

"But you brought off?" Bee questioned in confusion. He didn't really understand what was so bad about being off the ship. Nothing had happened so far. Now sure there were cyber-coyotes and he didn't liked them, but Bee wasn't foolish enough to go and get himself ate by one.

"We can protect you." Sunstreaker told him. "You're not gonna fight off a robo-fly on your own."

Bee pouted at that.

One because it was rude and two because it was correct.

And he didn't like that.

"Not helpless!" His words slipped back to that of a sparkling for a moment reminding both twins that he hadn't really been anything other than one longer than a few breems. Sure he learned how 'big bots' talk quickly and picked up on it even quicker, including a few more unpleasant words. The twins prided themselves with that while the fact horrified Prime, Ratchet, and Ironhide. Needless to say the youngling was brighter than any thought possible, but when it came down to it. He was still just a youngling inside and out.

Sunstreaker suppressed the chuckle that wanted free from him before he sat up cradling Bee in his arms. "Of course not. One of these orns we're gonna teach you how to kick aft with the best of us, but until than you have to be looked after. Right?"

Bee turned away in the mech's arms annoyed with his inability to take care of himself. However, his attention was quickly snatched away from the twins when a warm presence, worried and spiking with anger, raced out from around him in search of his shimmering little spark. He knew the presence like he knew his own.

The short antennas atop his head flickered with interest.

Optimus was looking for him, and he wasn't happy. Bee pulled his well learned walls up around his spark to hide himself just so he could find out who was with his Optimus and why he was so angry.

A booming presence hit him then.

The spark that loved him undyingly and yet could send any that crossed it into a state of panic was burning with so much anger beside Optimus's that Bee shuddered just a little.

He couldn't remember the last time Ironhide had been that mad. Not even when he walked into the gun range to find Bee sitting dead center of the floor while Sunstreaker and Blaster tried to kill each other and Sideswipe rolled around beside him dying of laughter.

He'd been fuming then, sending all three bots to Ratchet's med bay with a lot of explosions and denting, but now Bee thought that his beloved guardian just might really make good on all his threats and take his mischievous caretakers apart.

Turning his baby blue optics up to Sunny his antennas folded down in fear for the two he adored. "You two in _biiiiiiiiiiiiiiiig _trouble."

The brothers glanced at each other before asking in unison. "What?"

"Hide." Was Bee's simple reply as he pointed off to the left where three very angry, very big mechs rounded a fallen tower and their optics found what they were searching for.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe gulped at the anger even they could feel rolling off the fuming Ironhide that very klick.

"Yeah _hide_ is right." Sun sighed knowing how much this was gonna hurt.

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**Dun dun dun!**

**They really did it now didn't they?**

**Snatching Ironhide's charge and taking him on a field trip? Tisk Tisk guys, what were you thinking? Hide is going to tear you apart, and Optimus just might let him.**

**Anyway.**

**Here you go. The next part of Bee's tale!**

**A few vorns have pasted. He's a little older. A little wiser. Though still equally adorable. And his adventures really starts now! Ha ha! You guys are in for a treat.**

**I hope you enjoyed the next step in Bee's story. With luck it was all you guys were hoping for. As promised you got the Twins. I hope their fans are thrilled. Because I love them, and honestly I can see them doing this. So that's how it happened. **

**This chapter was kinda hard. I rewrote it nine times. I just couldn't figure out how I wanted the beginning to . . . you know . . . begin, but I'm happy with how it's ended up. It sets the stage well for all that's coming. Maybe you guys caught the underlying hints. **

**It should be interesting to hear what you all have to say. **

**I look forward to your feedback! So please Read and Review. You might get the next chapter faster considering I've already written up to . . . I think its ten chapters right now, and I'm no where near done yet.**

**This story is going to be so much fun! :)**

**Chat with ya later**

**-Jay**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers.**

**However, the plot is mine. So no touchy.**

**And here we have the longest chapter I've written yet! **

**Yay!**

**Thanks for the reviews on the first chapter, glad to see you guys are sticking with me. **

**Anyway, second chapter of the second part of Bumblebee's story . . . and he's not even in it. For some reason I find that funny. **

**It's time for the Sunny and Sides to come clean, and for the first dark truth to come out. **

**Enjoy!**

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Chapter 2

"I only have one thing to say to the pair of you. Why?"

There had never been moment before that one that either twin wished Optimus would just throw them to Ironhide and leave them to what was to come.

That was what they had figured was going happen. That was what they prepared themselves for. They had not prepared themselves for that question.

Nor did they know how to answer it.

However, both knew as they stood with bowed heads they would have to give the towering commander some reason behind what they had done other than sheer stupidity. Which might be the real cause behind all this, but each knew that not Optimus nor Ironhide or Ratchet thought they were stupid. Maybe not the brightest bots out there, but not stupid.

Sideswipe let out a deep sigh as his brother kept his optics low. It wasn't like either twin to be at a loss for words. Which bothered Optimus more than any of what had happened. When Ironhide came barreling into his quarters this morning about ready to kill something he had known what kind of orn he was going to have. Just why did it have to be Bee's spark-orn? The tiny mech's surprise party had been postponed for later that night because of the search that had to take place. That alone annoyed Prowl beyond comprehension. The loss of his schedule was not something the black and white mech took kindly too, but Prime knew he'd get over it.

Ironhide however, wasn't going to get over this that easily.

He'd only stopped cursing when he had Bumblebee back in his arms and after Ratchet did a quick scan to make sure that the freshly considered youngling was alright. It wasn't that any of them thought the twins would let him get hurt. They all knew both mechs cared about Bee too much to let that happen, and yet they took him out of the safety of the ship into the dangers that lay outside.

What in the name of Primus were the two of them thinking? That was all Optimus wanted to know at the moment.

Ironhide and Ratchet on the other hand wanted to take the two apart piece by piece, and Optimus just might let them, but that would have to wait until he got his answer.

Bee was safely with Red Alert in the medical bay, where the only help Ratchet had at the moment since First Aid was still on Ultra Magnus's ship was making sure he really _was_ fine. The apprentice medic had promised to keep the youngling busy while this little meeting went down. He knew that room was no place for the youngling, just as well as Optimus did.

Prime didn't know how he was going to do it yet, but he was going to find out just what these two had been thinking before Ironhide and the rest of the ship tried to offline them. He had too.

"Because we could." Every bot in the room knew it was a lie the nano-klick Sunstreaker said it. Which was why Optimus leveled the warrior in a harsh gaze as Ironhide glared and Ratchet just crossed his arms over his chest shaking his head.

"Sunstreaker," Optimus warned, his optics narrowing, but the mech wouldn't look at him. The proud bot just stared down at his feet as if the whole universe was weighing on his shoulders. It was his twin that decided to speak.

"We were trying to give him what we never had alright!" Sides raised his tortured optics to his commander that flinched ever so slightly at the way those words were hissed. "We've done the whole locked-away-your-whole-sparklinghood-thing. It's not fair, Prime!"

"Good intentions or not, it isn't right." Sunstreaker added.

"We were just postponing the inevitable. Sooner or later he was going to sneak off. He's two curios for his own good. So we took a little field trip in a place we know better than any mech aboard this vessel and damped his curiosity for a while."

"We were trying to give him what he wanted." Sunny crossed his arms defensively over his chest. "It is his spark-orn after all."

"Yes!" Ironhide hissed. "Which you've pretty much managed to ruin!"

"It's only ruined because you went glitchy when ya couldn't find him." Sunstreaker waved him off with a roll of his dark blue optics. "You should have known we wouldn't let him get hurt."

"Do you even realize how stupid you sound?" Ratchet stared at the golden twin in disbelief, trying to get the mech to think. "Every mech in the universe knows you're cocky Sunstreaker, but are you truly vein enough to believe you can best every Decepticon out there? Are you seriously going to tell me you think you could keep Bumblebee away from Megatron if he had attacked you?"

"Megatron ain't anywhere around here!" Sunstreaker snapped, fuming from being criticized. "Old nasty is too busy tryin' to find the allspark to care about two mechs running around ruins. Besides—" He cut himself off with a flash of terror in his optics knowing he couldn't finish that sentence.

Sideswipe glanced at his brother a little afraid he might actually go _there_ just to prove himself right, but was relieved when his twin looked away from the medic with his optics narrowing and his spark pulsing with pain and anger.

"Besides what?" Optimus questioned, his Gift allowing him to feel the walls around the twins' sparks. He had made an oath with his crew many, _many_, vorns ago, that his powers would not be used against them unless it was absolutely necessary. The commander wasn't sure if now was one of those times or not. The twins _had_ deliberately disobeyed orders and in doing so risked Bumblebee's precious life.

Optimus just wanted to know why before he had to decide what to do with them.

What could have possibly made the pair do something so foolish, and what were they hiding?

"You—" The word flew form Sunny before he even processed he was talking making the warrior bite his lip whirling around to cross his arms over his chest as he tremble with rage trying to keep himself from doing something stupid. The golden mech felt Sides place a reassuring hand on his shoulder trying to calm him, but he knew it would do no good. He was _way_ past his level of control now. Not even Sideswipe was going to be able to keep him from blowing up for much longer.

"You wouldn't understand." Sideswipe finished for his brother with his optics low. "I'm sorry Prime, but you just wouldn't."

"Why wouldn't I?!" Optimus challenged, slamming his hands down on the large table that separated him from the pair.

He was well aware that he was backing the twins in a corner, but the past had proved that sometimes that was the only way to get them to come clean about what they didn't want to talk about. He'd learned that from Ratchet many vorns ago. Since the medic was the only one that they really made a habit of talking to without snarky remarks and witty comebacks, though there was still plenty of that. Ratchet was the one that should probably be questioning them, he was the one they were more likely to answer, but this time it had to be Optimus.

They all knew it.

The secrets had to end.

For as long as he'd known them the Prime had always respected their wishes of keeping their past a secret. He never questioned their scars, or anything else. He let the loyal soldiers do their jobs without too much intervention in their antics. Now though, the more they fought answering the more he wondered if there was more to all this than met the optic.

And he wasn't the only one that was curios.

Ironhide and Ratchet had gone silent, knowing something was going on. The twins might annoy the Pit out of them just like they did most of the ship, but they were treasured comrades epically to the medic, and despite all the name calling, tools upside the head, and blasting with massive cannons they truly were friends. The close nit crew had been through too much together to not be. It was Ironhide that spoke up for the pair in the first place many, many vorns ago when he realized what good allies they would make. It had been Ratchet that patched up the two new comers when they found them in the burning ruble. It had been Jazz that first befriended them when they were forcibly brought back to base by the medic. In the end though it had been Optimus that was the reason they stayed. Now each of the three present just wanted to know what would drive the pair to be so foolish.

And well, they got it.

"You with your _perfect_ little life!" Sunstreaker blew up slamming his brother away as he spun around to practically hiss up at the leader of the Autobots who recoiled slightly at his words and the venom behind them. "The great Optimus Prime! Chosen heir to the _mighty_ Sentinel Prime! What would you ever know about what it's like to be held prisoner!? What would you know about being looked down upon because of your family and your rank!? What would you know about being ripped apart from your creators on the very orn you turned nine vorns old and being sold into the Rings!? What would you know about a stolen youngling-hood!? What would you know of looking through prison bars to the big open universe out there wishing for nothing more than to be free so you could explore it!? How would you know what it feels like to be helpless and left for dead!? How could you possibly understand what it's like!? You can't! So _don't _ask us why! Because you can't understand! We did it because we needed too! Not for him, but for us!"

Suddenly Sunstreaker broke off realizing what he'd just done.

Curling his hands into fist he tried to cool his systems as he recoiled his blades and calmed his blasters. Sideswipe had stood at his side though the whole outburst knowing that it needed to be said. Only once his twin, still shaking with fury, lowered his head in shame refusing to lift them again did he take a step closer to his brother allowing him to have the physical support as well as the reassurance he sent via his siblingbond.

Then he spoke.

"You don't know what it's like for us watching him stare out of windows wondering why he can't do this, can't go here, can't come and see that. It's not the same as it was for us, thank Primus he isn't where we once stood, but it just hits to close to home. He doesn't understand all of this war and anger or why he has to stay in one place, it's wrong to wish he could. We were just trying to give him what we never had. A chance to be a _real _youngling . . . to make his ninth spark-orn far better than ours was."

With that Sideswipe lowered his own optics knowing the truth had finally come out after all these vorns. He would accept whatever came from here. At the truth of where he and Sunny had come from.

Though, there was only one thing that hung in the silent air to Optimus. _The Rings?_ The very place his brother had turned into the monster that he was. The vain of Cybertron.

The twins had been sold into The Rings when they where younglings?

How was that even possible?

Ironhide however, who knew all about the workings of that Pit, had always had a hunch that was where the two came from. He hadn't been raised in the shelter and pride of Sentinel's palace. He'd seen the darker side of Cybertron before the war had broken out. The mirror scars that marked both twins above their sparks had always made him wonder. Now he had his proof. It also explained a lot about their attitudes and their antics. Two younglings who had life stolen from them. It was understandable. He pitied every bot that was unlucky enough to end up in that Pit.

The twins might not be his favorite bots, but he did care for the younger mechs. He hated the influence they were on Bumblebee, but he knew how much they adored him. If he really did hate them he'd never let them anywhere near his charge. Not that he'd ever tell either what he really thought about them. He was much happier just dealing with their stunts, much like Ratchet and Optimus, now though even his outer wall cracked at this new found knowledge.

As the silence hung in the air memoires of the past and of the orn the twins joined the Autobot cause flowed into the processors of every mech in the room.

* * *

_The War was still in its early vorns when Altihex fell. Neither twin had been two attached to the city, but it had been the place they finally stopped running. When the 'Cons descended every instinct in Sunstreaker wanted to fight. He'd been fighting, killing, surviving, his whole life. _

_He was good at it. _

_He lived for it. _

_It was the only way he knew how to make himself feel whole again. It probably didn't help that he had also had a death wish since his ninth spark-orn though. _

_With that in the back of his processor he figured what better way to go out than by the hands of that blasted Mega-idiot's hired guns. _

_Sideswipe had other idea though. _

_He'd just gotten the two of them, alive, out of the Rings. He wasn't going to lose his brother because he wanted to die some horrible death. So when the first bombs fell, he grabbed his older brother by the scruff-bar and ran._

_Might not be the most heroic moment of his life, but at least he figured they'd survive the orn to tell about it. Besides, it wasn't their war nor was it their city. Why should they care?_

_Well, it ended up they cared. _

_They didn't even know how it happened. One klick they were running from the carnage the next they watched a femme get brutally murdered and they were tearing into the slaggin' 'Cons like nothing that had ever been seen. Somehow—how to this orn they didn't know—they managed to survive the battle even as the city fell. The twins were left standing, leaking energon badly, battered, scrapped, torn, and defeated before a fallen statue of the supposed great Prime that hadn't come to save the innocents of this city because he got his stupid aft offlined by his temper tantrum throwing son. They were too lost in hating the world around them that they didn't even notice the nearing bots. Their shock could be understood when from the burning ruble around them a small battalion of Autobots appeared. _

_The first reaction of the pair at hearing someone come up behind them was to spin around blades draw only to lower their weapons at the sight they found. The new comers where no Deceptions. They were none other than Sentinel Prime's heir Optimus Prime, his weapons specialist, his CMO, and his second in command, along with Ultra Magnus one of his commanders. _

_Optimus blinked in surprise at the sight of the gold mech and red mech that lowered their weapons at the sight of them. All he could think was that survivors stood before him. Survivors! Not all had been lost!_

_However, the greeting he was granted was physically painful._

_"Well, well, well," The gold mech narrowed his optics not seeming to even notice the amount of energon that was leaking from a deep gash in his mid-section. "The great Optimus Prime decided to come and save the city did he? Well sorry mech, but you're a little late." _

_A low growl rose from the chest of the massive black mech to Optimus's side at the insult to his best friend, but it didn't make either brother twitch. They'd fought far worse than him. They had the matching scars to prove it. Even though the only real thing noticeable about the two of them at the moment was how much energon they were covered in. _

_To this orn Ratchet blames that for his actions. His medic instinct cut over every over thought in his processor. As disrespectful as they seemed they still needed his attention. With one glance at Optimus for permission he received a nod and he went into fixit mode. Taking a step forward Ratchet was Pit bent on getting to work until a pair of matching blades raised in unison to meet him._

_"Oh no medic," The red one shook his head as the two of them stepped back from the Autobot search party. The seasoned medic could have sworn he saw fear dance in those narrowed optics, but it was quickly covered by an anger he hadn't figured out. "We don't do med-bays. Take your efforts elsewhere." _

_"Look, whoever you two are," Ratchet's gaze narrowed at the threat. "You'll offline in a matter of breems at the rate you're losing energon."_

_The brothers glanced at each other before shrugging._

_"Hasn't really bothered us before." The gold one snapped. "Besides it's about time anyway."_

_The conversation never went further than that though, because Ratchet had had enough of their smart mouths. One strong electron burst later and the survivors lay knocked clean out on the ground. Ratchet sighed, knowing in some way he'd eventfully pay for that choice, and went to retrieve his knew patients. _

_"It is logical to assume neither will be pleased when they come too." Prowl protested the action, but he soon fell silent at the look the medic shot him. _

_Instead of arguing further he went against his better judgment and helped Ironhide and Ratchet haul the ingrates back to the ship. _

_Several more search and rescue missions went out that orn, but Sunstreaker and Sideswipe were the only online bots to be found. That added to Optimus's need for them to be patched up and questionable. He had let the painful comment go as soon as it was said. It wasn't his place to hold grudges against bots pulled into a war that was _his_ fault. He knew such things would never help him. So he stood patiently in the hallway of the med-bay with Ironhide, Magnus, and Prowl as Ratchet tried to repair the two that were still knocked clean out._

_It was safe to say neither Prowl nor Ironhide were all that happy about the happenings, but neither voiced it. Both knew the information the two possessed would be valuable. In the end it was Ultra Magnus that finally questioned his friend and leader._

_"You do realize you brought two innocent bots here against their will, right Optimus?" He sat in a waiting chair leaned against the wall with his massive arms crossed over his chest with his battle staff, still dripping energon from the few 'Cons they had managed to try and stop, laying across his lap._

_"We cannot afford to lose the information they might have." Prowl was the one to respond. _

_"And what if they were just two innocents caught in the crossfire?" Magnus questioned. "What if they know nothing?"_

_"That is unlikely." Prowl assured._

_"Have to agree with stick-in-the-mud on this one." Ironhide rumbled. Ignoring the harsh glare that came his way he went on. "I know warriors when I see them, and those two know how to fight. They leveled swords with Hatchet for crying out loud. Not even a 'Con would get in that slaggers way when he's in fixit mode."_

_"Their audacity is not why they should be questioned." Prowl shook his head._

_"If they claim to know nothing they will be free to go their own way." Optimus finally spoke up. _

_That got him three very confused glances._

_"You will just let them leave?" Prowl seemed awe struck, his optics twitching a little bit at the course of action that made no sense to him. "But they have seen our base?"_

_"They will see a med-bay." Optimus assured him. "Nothing more. Besides Magnus is right. We brought them here against their will. They are not warriors of Megatron so therefore they are not prisoners. They will not be treated as such. They are two brave sparks trying to defend themselves, and an innocent city. If they wish to leave they will be allowed to go without a fight."_

_"That's if they don't start blasting stuff." Ironhide cast a glance to the door that separated them from their guest. "I have a feeling they're not going to be too happy with all this." _

_"Mechs!" A optimistic boom rang out down the hallway making each bot turn to find Jazz running toward them._

_"What's wrong Jazz?" Optimus and Ironhide were quick to ready themselves while Prowl rolled his optics and Magnus sat back quietly observing like he so often did._

_"Oh nothing's wrong, boss bot!" Jazz waved them off before he slide to a stop staring hopefully at the med-bay doors. "Inferno just said, that Red Alert said, you mechs found survivors!"_

_"They're not femmes if that's what's got you running down here so fast." Prowl deadpanned._

_It earned him a heated glare. "I didn't think they were femmes, ya fragger." _

_"It's a logical assumption in account of you being you."_

_"Say that again, buddy!" _

_"Enough," Optimus pulled the two ninjas apart before he had something out of hand to deal with and seriously thought about sending them both to their separate offices to do paperwork. He knew they were close friends, but they were so different sometimes they were more likely to offline each other than anything else. _

_Jazz huffed, turning away from Prowl while the other simply pulled out a data pad and went to busying himself with work. _

_"So did ya?"Jazz asked after a few nano-kliks of silence. He never was one to be quiet for very long._

_"Yes, Jazz." Optimus nodded. "Ratchet is trying to repair them."_

_"Busted up pretty bad, huh?" _

_"They should be offline." Ironhide commented. "That was what Megatron was after. He didn't want any survivors. That's not really his style at the moment."_

_"Doubt it will ever be." Magnus voiced quietly._

_"They seemed knowledgeable in the art of war." Prowl pointed out. "Quick to draw weapons. Quick to insult."_

_That got Jazz grinning. "Oh, bots after my own spark?" _

_"They smarted off to Prime if that's what you mean." Ironhide nodded. "Don't really seem to like our leader."_

_A sudden crash snapped all the mechs' focus as a feral yell rose up from the other side of the door._

_"LET ME OUT OF THIS FRAGGIN' MED-BAY YOU PIT-SPAWNED SLAGGIN' FRAGGER!"_

_"That don't sound good." Jazz comment before every mech rushed forward forcing the bay doors open just in time to watch the golden twin slam his drawn blade down in the spot Ratchet had been standing two nano-klicks ago as the red twin spun off the berth he lay on pointing a rocket blaster at the medic and then his entering companions. _

_However, no further actions were taken by the pair. _

_They weighed their options in nano-klick silently between them. They were outnumbered, out-gunned, and they had no idea where in Pit they were. Attacking was not in their best interest. Though that had never stopped Sunstreaker before so his brother was quick to shoot him a glare when he drew his sword from the metal floor leveling it with the yellow and red medic who they had cut off from his companions. The harsh growl of Ironhide's charged cannons leveling with the back of Sunstreaker's head along Optimus's blaster, Jazz's rocket gun, Prowl's own dueling blades, and Magnus's staff made Sideswipe growl under his breath at his brother. Optimus caught the quick exchange of glares and growls before the gold mech lowered his blade ever so slightly quickly stepping away from Ratchet to the other mech's side as they stood where they could keep their optics on all their competition. _

_"Weapons down!" Ironhide growled._

_"Hide," Prowl warned. _

_"NOW!"No one threatened the mech's friends. No one! Especially not in their own base! Ratchet was trying the help the ingrates and they tried to run him through. This did not please Ironhide one fragging bit._

_The red mech lowered his blaster slightly as his companion hiss out a curse to the pulsing cannons. Did that fool have a death wish? Ironhide wasn't sure. Ratchet on the other hand was pretty much convinced. _

_When the blade came down he knew it wouldn't hit him, if the mech had been trying to he never would have yelled first. Besides, Ratchet knew when a bot wanted to do harm and when they just wanted to be left alone. There was no explaining that to Hide though. His friends were the only family Ironhide had left, and it had been a bot with dueling swords that took away his family to begin with. He would not be forgiving of the action so easily. _

_"Easy Ironhide." Ratchet spoke up from where he stood carefully observing his patients._

_"Easy Ironhide!?" Hide snarled, looking at his friend in disbelief. "He tried to shish kabob you!"_

_"If he'd been meaning to hit him he'd be offline."The red mech said fully lowering his blaster and putting an arm on his companion's wrist making him lower his blades. With a harsh hiss and a clang of metal the golden mech retracted his swords, but his glare stayed level on the bots that stood between him and his way out of this fraggin' room. _

_"Got that right, fragger." The golden one grumbled. "I don't miss."_

_"Threatening the medic trying to save your life, yeah that looks good." Jazz raised an optics ridge. "Not really into this whole being helped out thing are ya?"_

_"We didn't ask for help!" The gold one snarled. "In fact we declined it! And if you don't let me out of this fraggin' med-bay I'll—" _

_"Oh, mute it!" The red one shoved the other hard in the shoulder turning his glare on his own companion. _

_That action shocked the Autobots. __Ironhide even lowered his cannons._

_"What?" The other yelled._

_"You heard me."_

_"Since when do you tell me what to do!?"_

_"Since when do you think you can take on Optimus Prime!?"_

_"Oh please," The gold one laughed. "We've faced worse. This orn actually!"_

_"You know you ain't helping none!"_

_"Who said I was trying to help!?"_

_"Listen here you—" _

_"Yo!" Both mechs had ended up in each other faceplates looking about ready to try and take each other apart when Jazz's snap pulled them apart to turn their glares on him. "Aren't ya like supposed to be—" _

_"STAY OUT OF THIS!" They snarled in unison. _

_Jazz threw his hands up in surrender as the two turned back to glare at each other._

_"Don't tell me what to do!" The gold one ground out._

_"Stop trying to get yourself killed!"_

_"You're one to talk!"_

_"Yeah I am!"_

_"Oh that's rich!"_

_"Look I'm the older brother, you listen to me!"_

_"Oh yeah, like that's ever worked! Besides you're like two klicks older!"_

_"That counts!"_

_"You been trying to get your stupid aft killed for vorns!"_

_"Like you're not!"_

_"I'm not ready to let you die!"_

_"That ain't your choice!"_

_"I'm your twin you fraggin' idiot I have a little bit of choice in the matter!"_

_"My life!"_

_"My brother!"_

_Jazz sighed, leaning over to whisper to Prowl as the argument went on. "I'm confused."_

_"Me too." Prowl admitted. _

_"That's a feat." _

_"Sure is."_

_"WILL THE TWO OF YOU JUST MUTE IT!?" Ratchet had finally had enough. Grabbing the first thing in his range he launched two wrenches at both their heads waking them hard earning him two rather loud yelps followed by a sling of curses that would make his Sire turn in his grave, though the medic paid them no mind._

_"Hey watch the paint you slaggin' Wrench!" The gold one snarled._

_"Mute it!" Ratchet warned rising another wrench. The pair shrank back slightly rubbing the dents in their heads. Though they did go silent. Ratchet let out a sigh. "Now, how about we all lower the weapons, stop screaming at each other, and talk this out like civilized mechs?"_

_"Sounds reasonable." Optimus lowered his blaster. He still wasn't quite sure what to make of this pair, though now he did know they were twins. Which he had thought might be the case before. _

_ "Will you two comply?" Prowl glared over at the pair. Sideswipe glanced at Sunstreaker who glanced back. Their argument was already long forgotten, both were just trying to figure out how to get out of here now._

_"And what if we said we just wanted out of your stupid med-bay and away from where ever it is you took us?" Sideswipe raised an optic ridge. _

_Optimus stepped aside from the doors holding out a hand to offer them the way out. Sunstreaker took one look at the door and bolted, dragging a grumbling Sideswipe along behind him until they reached the end of the hallway outside the medical bay and came to a stop. Once they were free of the too clean walls, and the too clean smell, and the too clean berths, and the too clean tools, and the too much of everything that made Sunstreaker want to pull his own wires out and made Sideswipe want to blast things to pieces they each let out a breath. Casting each other a nod they turned back to face the mechs who leaned out the door staring at them._

_"Out here." Sunstreaker snapped. "Not in there."_

_Optimus complied. Walking from the med-bay he didn't stop until he stood a few feet in front of the shorter bots who glanced up at him wearily and with a bit of anger. The leader's companions followed spreading out behind him to watch the strange pair._

_"Got a thing against medical bays?" Jazz questioned. _

_He was granted glares._

_"Take that as a yes." He nodded._

_Optimus figured the best place to start was to gain their trust, so he began with names. "I assume judging by all you've said you already know who I am?"_

_"Is there a living organism in the universe that doesn't know you?" Sideswipe pointed out._

_"Fair point." Jazz nodded. This time the glares came from his team mates. "Sorry."_

_"I imagine there are." Optimus answered._

_"Lucky them." Sunstreaker mumbled. Sideswipe chuckled at that. Optimus merely let it roll off._

_"This is Ratchet my CMO," Prime motioned over to the medic that had patched up the pair before they decided to try and stab him. The twins observed the medic with caution, their distrust for anything medical becoming more and more clear to the seasoned medic. All he did was nod to them not trusting them to allow anything else. "My second in command Prowl." Prowl's judging gaze ran over them making their optics narrow in unison before he let the judgment go and nodded as well. "My first lieutenant Jazz."_

_"Sup new-bees?" _

_He received two lifted optic ridges. _

_"Ignore him." Prowl rolled his optics._

_"Hey! No bot asked you!"_

_The twins shared a smile as the two bots glared at each other until Magnus shoved them apart. _

_"Really?" He snorted. "Jazz is a loose cannon we all know that, but Prowl what's up with you lately?"_

_Prowl grumbled looking away harshly insulted and refusing to take part in such a conversation._

_"Anyway," Optimus said. "This is Ironhide, my weapons specialist."_

_"Punks." Ironhide grunted. _

_"Cannons." Sideswipe snorted._

_"And this is Ultra Magnus one of my commanders." Optimus finished._

_"Pleasure." Magnus nodded. All he got in return though was two tilted heads. _

_Silence followed the interdiction as the brothers looked them all over before they glanced at each other. Optimus waited patiently for them to decide what their next move would be. He was in no rush to scare them off before he even knew anything about them. Especially with the potential Ironhide seemed to sense in them and the knowledge they might have._

_"Sideswipe," The red mech said. "He's Sunstreaker."_

_Sunstreaker shrugged. "Can we go now oh high and mighty commander of the Autobots, heir to Sentinel Prime?"_

_"You are free to leave if you wish," Optimus took a deep breath trying not to let the annoyed mech bother him. "Though I have a few questions I'd like to ask you."_

_"We don't know anything."Sunstreaker cut in with a glare. "Wasn't our city. Weren't our bots. Just got a problem with bots killing cuz they can. That's the only reason we fought."_

_"So sorry," Sideswipe finished. "But what Mega-idiot is trying to accomplish by leveling that place, besides you know being a Pit-Spawned bastard—no offence—we've got no idea."_

_"Can't help you more than that." Sunstreaker added._

_"Just a pair of vagabonds." _

_"Can't be much more than that." _

_"Well you could be soldiers."Jazz pointed out. _

_Sunstreaker snorted waving an amused hand their way. "And take orders from you lot?"_

_"Don't think so."Sideswipe shook his head. "We don't do orders."_

_"Well what do you do?" Ironhide snapped. "Run around trying to get your stupid afts killed?"_

_They glanced at each other before answering in unison. "Something like that."_

_"Well that's a pitiful waste of talent." The weapons specialist ground out._

_"Talent?"Sideswipe raised an optic ridge. "Thought you wanted to blast us?"_

_"Don't get him wrong he does." Jazz patted Ironhide on the arm earning him a growl before he went on. "But you two can fight. Anybot can see that. Believe me, we need a few more good fighters. Mega-idiot don't really fight all that fair."_

_"Gee figure that out all on your own did you?" Sunstreaker snorted. "None like him ever do."_

_"You don't really fight all that fair either." Sideswipe pointed out._

_"Not my fault. Bad influences." His twin shrugged._

_"Sure." The other shook his head._

_"Oh like you're any better." Sunstreaker shot back._

_"Never claimed to be."_

_"Then don't lecture." _

_"Hey now, don't start that again." Jazz cut in trying to keep the two glaring bots on topic. He earned both their attention in return, but he could have lived without the glares that made his armor crawl. _

_"So what, you want to draft us or something?" Sideswipe finally held gazes with Prime as he stood a little taller before the commander. Deep down inside he was shocked, but he refused to let it show. The possibility of a home. Of a life. Of a purpose. It called to his spark like nothing ever had and he didn't need to ask his twin to know the same feelings were bouncing around in his spark. _

_"Whether or not you know what Megatron wanted in Altihex you still seem to be capable warriors. You survived after all. I'm always looking for another brave spark to help set this all right." Optimus answered._

_"Join the Autobots?" Sunstreaker turned to his brother who shrugged in return._

_"We've done crazier, and after all you do have a death wish."_

_"True that." The gold twin nodded. One more shared glance of silent conversation and it was decided. _

_"We're in."_

_"Great!" Jazz grinned._

_"You do realize that requires taking orders?" Prowl questioned._

_"Oh stop ruining the moment, Prowler!" Jazz snapped._

_"We've done stupider things believe us." Sideswipe chuckled._

_"And just try finding any other bots as good as us." Sunstreaker challenged. "Unfortunately surviving is kind of our specialty." _

_"Don't know how that is though." Sideswipe shook his head._

_"Well then," Magnus finally spoke up again shooting Prime a short look to which he nodded. "Welcome to the Autobot army."_

* * *

"You never said anything." Unsurprisingly it was Ratchet that finally spoke up with his emotions for the pair in his optics. He not-so-secretly had grown to care about the pair more than he wanted to admit over the vorns that he had known them. He liked having them around. They were a good distraction. Granted sometimes he would rather take them apart and use them for salvage for all the stupid stuff they got themselves into. Though through all these vorns he never imagined the reasons behind their ways was because they'd been sold into the Rings.

Into that Pit of a sport of slavery and gladiators.

"Oh yeah," Sideswipe snorted. "Like we were just gonna come up one orn and say 'hey mechs guess what, we got snatched as runts and sold into slavery to battle to the death ever orn of our miserable little lives.' yeah that makes since, Wrench."

"It doesn't make what we did right." Sunstreaker sighed. "And it better not have anything to do with what punishment we get! Here that, Prime!"

Optimus was still personally in shock as he slowly raised his optics to stare at two of his most loyal warriors. "Your punishment will be left to Prowl. It's his schedule you ruined."

Both mechs tensed at that for a moment before nodding slowly lowering their optics again. Silence fell over the meeting room after that until Sideswipe quietly spoke.

"I know we are in no place to be making request, Prime, but can this . . . ." He didn't know how to finish so he looked to his brother for support.

"Not leave this room?" Sunstreaker whispered out.

The words shocked Optimus almost as much as the earlier ones. Did they really think that he'd tell their guarded past? He understood why neither wanted it known. He did not fault them for their secret. If anything he now held them in an even more respected light. The horrors he'd witnessed the orn he found out what his brother was really doing when he snuck away had never left him. It had been that Pit that changed Megatron forever. It was that place that made him into the monster he was.

Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had been affected, he could clearly see that now, but they hadn't let it ruin them. Part of him wondered if joining his army had something to do with that.

"Your stories are yours to tell." Optimus nodded. "Though Prowl will have to know for it to be taken into account to what punishment he give you."

"Tell him it was one of our stupid pranks." Sides said.

"Tell him we finally went glitchy." Sun added.

"He'll believe it."

"We'll take whatever he gives us."

Optimus was dumbfounded. "But—"

"Just because we fear our past doesn't mean we should have taken Half Pint of the ship." Sides cut Prime off. "We knew that when we did it. Which makes it insubordination no matter the tragic backstory."

"We shouldn't of, but we did." Sunny nodded. "We'll pay the price. We agreed to fight your war a long time ago, Prime. In doing so it has become our war. Neither of us regret that. So disobeying was wrong."

"No if, ands, or buts." Sides finished.

Optimus let out a sigh. How could he punish the pair for trying to give Bumblebee what he was to scared too? Sure they hadn't gone about it the best way, but with the information he now had he couldn't fault them. And he knew what Prowl's punishment would be for their actions. It was not a fair price to be paid for trying to help.

"He'll send you to the brig." Ironhide spoke up. "He won't let you go to Bee's party."

Both sets of optics widened ever so slightly before the mechs sighed and nodded.

"We've already given him what we could." Sides shrugged, his upbeat air having faded by now. "No sense in being there anyway."

"He'll want you there." Ratchet crossed his arms still shocked by all of this, and these much more mature level headed twins.

"He knows what we did was wrong." Sunny wouldn't look up. "We made sure of that. Half Pint's smart enough to understand."

"Why didn't you just express your thoughts?" Optimus finally made himself ask.

"Because we're very aware that your right." Sideswipe snorted. "Two klicks out there in the wrong spot and he'd be offline like this." With a snap he shook his head. "He's fraggin' tiny! If Megatron does get a hold of him he's finished. But that doesn't make a life behind prison bars right, Prime. Even if the prison bars are built out of love."

"Ours weren't." Sunstreaker sighed. "So maybe our judgment is a little clouded, but honestly can any of you claim to know what it's like?"

"You think we keep him prisoner?" Ironhide wanted to know. Was he keeping his precious little Bumblebee trapped? He didn't know any other way to keep him online.

"I think he's old enough to be allowed to see some of what lies beyond this ship in more than just pictures and stories." Sides answered.

"Maybe you're right." Optimus breathed out. "But it won't change the universe. It won't change the war. And it certainly won't change what has to be done."

"You can't protect him from what he must become you know that right, Prime?" Sunstreaker bluntly stated. "Sooner or later he will be soldier."

Optimus nodded solemnly. "Which is a sad fact in and of itself."

* * *

** I'm mean.**

**Just cutting it off like that. Sorry guys, but it was the perfect way to end it.**

**Now, how about that? The two most dangerous killing machines in the Autobot army are the way they are because they got sold into slavery at nine-vorns old. Dang that explains a lot. **

**Sunny's attitude, Sides' pranks, both of them being lethal death machines. Just kind of all adds up now. **

**The backstory of how the twins ended up with the Autobots was actually supposed to be, at most, maybe a page long . . . no it was ten. I just stared writing and suddenly this _thing _happened. I have no idea where it came from. Apparently, Sunny and Sides have their own story to tell. Just like so many other characters in this crazy mess inside my head. I love it! **

**And I hope you liked it. Hope any Sunny and Sides fans out there approve of my version of them. Because I love them. They are just so much fun to write. **

**It only gets better from here guys! At least in my opinion . . . I might be a tad bit bias . . . maybe. :)**

**Please let me know what you think because reviews are how you get the chapters faster! **

**Read and Review! **

**Chat with ya later.**

**-Jay **


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. Hasbro does. We all know that. **

**However, the plot of this story and the OCs are mine. So no touchy.**

**First off I would just like to thank all you who are reviewing! You are truly amazing and you keep me going with this story! So thank you, thank you, thank you!**

**Now I would also like to add that this is my favorite chapter so far! I absolutely adore it! It was so much fun to write!**

**I mean come on, Bee's spark-orn! It's just amazing and the possibilities were endless. Because what could possibly go wrong?**

**Ha! Have you met his family? Nothing ever goes as Prowl plans. No matter how hard he tries some bot is going to thrown a monkey wrench into his well oiled machine. . . *cough* Jazz.**

**Anyway, enough of my rambling. Go forth and enjoy baby Bumblebee!**

* * *

Chapter 3

"PROWL!"

The white and black mech went ridged at the angry voice echoing into the silence of his quiet office behind him. Slowly lowering the data pad where he was currently typing a report of the latest stunt those two idiot twins pulled, he spun his swivel chair to find Bumblebee wearing quite a pout in Jazz's arms from where the pair stood in the door of his office.

Prowl knew why they tiny mech was here.

But this was one time that youngling's adorable little faceplate wasn't going to get him what he wanted. Because to put it lightly, Prowl was pissed, and he'd had just about enough of those two fools for a couple of orns.

The _audacity_ still amazed him. They actually had the _nerve_ to take Bee off the ship. To wreak Prowl's schedule!

Oh no, Optimus might have forgiven them, but as far as Prowl was concerned they could rust in the brig for a few orns and think about their stupidity. It was the least of what they deserved, and no pouting youngling was going to change that.

"Bumblebee?" The strategist answered emotionlessly.

"Let 'em out!" Bee snapped harshly his bright baby blue optics glaring into Prowls light blue ones. "My spark-orn! I want 'em out!"

Prowl turned back to his reports without so much as a twitch in his wall of emotions. "No."

Jazz chuckled at the frustration billowing off his newly retrieved favorite youngling. He hadn't really been all that mad at the twins when he found out what happened, once he cooled off that is. When he stuck his head out of his quarters this morning to find Ironhide running around like a cyber-duck with it's head cut off yelling that the twins took Bee and about how he was going to tear them into a billion tiny pieces, the ninja had been as livid as the rest of the ship. He wanted to kick those two fools around the sun and back for doing something so stupid, but after a moment he had realized what they were doing, and he knew they'd never let anything happen to Lil' Bee. He also figured that since they'd been in Optimus's meeting room so long the truth about their past had finally come out. His only opinion on that matter was that it was about damn time. He'd confronted the pair about their past vorns ago and got the answer he knew he would. It hadn't changed anything between the friends though. If anything it made their friendship stronger.

"LET 'EM OUT!" Bee yelled kicking his short legs in Jazz's grip snapping the silver mech out of his thoughts.

"Hey now," Jazz scolded not very fond of getting kick. "Take it out of him not me."

"They disobeyed orders, Bumblebee." Prowl glanced over his shoulder trying to get the youngling to understand. "They will serve their punishment and your fit will change nothing."

That left Bee in a very hopeless situation.

His beloved twins, who had dared to take him exploring, were now locked away down in the brig and would not be allowed to come out for who knew how long. This wasn't how his spark-orn was supposed to go. However, the little mech knew better than to argue with Prowl. It never got him anywhere. He couldn't gaze up at the bot pleadingly and have him crumble like all the rest. No, Bee's darling youngling charm had no effect on the stone wall that was Prowl's emotions. At least on the outside.

With a heavy huff Bee leaned back against Jazz's chest refusing to look at the mech who wouldn't at least hear him out. "Fine." He mumbled with his short arms crossed over his chest and a glare that could make Megatron's armor crawl.

Jazz was a little shocked at Bee giving in so easily, but with a shrug he nodded bye to Prowl and left the workaholic to his reports going in search of something he knew would make the youngling smile instead of scowl. It was his spark-orn after all, and the youngling should be happy. Jazz was intended on seeing that happy was exactly what he was.

However, Jazz's plan went a little astray when puzzles turned into cards, and cards turned into C-Ball, and C-Ball turned into hide and seek in which he lost the youngling.

Said events being Bee's plan from the very beginning.

He might be the slowest mech on _Artemis 1_, but he had ways of vanishing that he'd been perfecting since he could crawl. All he really needed was a momentary lapse in concentration from the mech that was supposed to be watching him and he was up on his little feet silently scurrying away before any bot noticed. Once he'd slipped out of sight it wasn't hard to hug corners and shadows using his talent of feeling sparks to know who was looking for him and where they were. Not to mention he knew Jazz wouldn't be quick to give up and call in help to find him. He was far too stubborn for that. So Bee set out feeling his way around the levels of the ship until he found the sparks he was searching for. Which just so happened to all be in the same place. Maybe it was his lucky orn after all.

Scurrying as fast as he dared with his uncoordinated little frame he headed toward Ratchet's med-bay. He knew the path so well he could make the journey with his optics closed, but he decided that looking out for Jazz would be the better option. No telling when the silver ninja might pop out of a shadow with a stern lecture about how running off was bad.

Bee was in no mood for lectures this orn, so he was content on making sure his caretaker didn't find him.

Surprisingly, his quest went uninterrupted though. It seemed every mech on board was busy with something they didn't want him to be a part of, which served him perfectly for the klick so he ran with it. When he reached the bay doors however a problem arose for the little youngling. How exactly was he supposed to get the doors open?

He hadn't really thought that part of his plan through.

A heavy pout set itself on Bee's faceplate as he gazed up at the key pad that hovered far too high for him to even think about trying to reach it.

Well this hadn't gone the way he wanted it too.

Mauling over his options he settled for the only one that would really work. Raising a tiny fist along with his walls to keep himself hidden he racked it hard against the cold steel door sending little clangs echoing around the quiet hall. Silence followed his knocking until a slightly annoyed voice answered.

"Well it's not locked!" Ratchet called out from the other side. "Come on!"

Bee rolled his optics knocking once more.

"Blast it you—" The door swished open to emptiness which cut Ratchet off. _Huh? _

A tiny giggle escaped Bee causing the tall medic to look down and find a grinning youngling standing before his door. With another smirk Bumblebee bolted between the mech's legs and into the med bay. He almost made it across the floor without falling, but as was usual running never really got him anywhere and he tripped almost landing hard on his faceplate before Ironhide reacted. Snatching Bee nano-kliks before he hit the floor Hide grumbled under his breath at the fact that once again he'd snuck off.

"Bumblebee," Ironhide scolded bringing the youngling up to sit on the table before the mech. "How did you get here?"

Bee grinned wickedly as he gazed up at his loving guardian. "Beating Jazzy at hide and seek."

His guardian rolled his optics at that.

"Prime, you need to outlaw that game!" Ironhide shot his friend a glare when he and Ratchet started laughing as the medic rejoined his friends at the table in his office. The moment Optimus had laid optics on the youngling he stashed the surprise they'd been working on under the table to keep it out of Bumblebee's sight and now sat with his hand over his faceplate trying to hide his laughter at the sight of Bee's glittering blue orbs staring up at him with glee.

"But he's so good at it." Optimus tried to rein in his laughter as Ironhide just darkened his glare.

"Yep!" Bee cheered only to stop abruptly when a thought occurred to him. As he sat there in the company of his three favorite mechs he realized what had yet to be said to him this orn. The notion made his gleeful optics darken and his smile turn to a scowl.

"Squirt?" Ratchet questioned the rather annoyed look that captured Bee. The little youngling crossed his arms over his chest before he glanced around the table. Ironhide raised an optic ridge at the disconnect that flowed to him and the mechs around him via Bee's talented spark.

"What's wrong, Bee?" Hide was about to pick his charge up off the table to hold the unhappy youngling when Bee leaned away from him shooting him a glare that could slice the strongest armor. Hide was shocked by the action. Not once had Bee ever not wanted to be held by his guardian, or any mech in this room for that matter.

Never.

The sight of the little mech glaring up at him made Ironhide's spark ache trying to figure out what he'd done to upset his charge.

"Haven't said happy spark-orn yet." Bumblebee snapped harshly.

All three sets of optics widened in shock before guilt latched onto all of them.

"Bee," Ironhide shook his head slowly with a heavy sigh at the realization. In all the chaos of the morning the fact that he hadn't wished his youngling a happy spark-orn completely slipped the massive mech's mind. And he felt absolutely awful about it. "I'm sorry."

Bee stuck out his bottom lip as he refused to look at his guardian.

Not being wished a happy spark-orn by his most favorite bots _ever_ did not please the youngling one tiny bit.

Because they had forgotten him.

They actually forgot him . . . the fact made his little spark ache. This family wasn't supposed to forget him. They weren't supposed to ever leave him. They weren't supposed to go away like his carrier had. They had promised that with them he had a home, that this was where he belonged now, but to his young processor forgetting to tell him happy spark-orn was the first step to forgetting him.

"Bumblebee," Optimus was well aware that upsetting the youngling hurt Ironhide far more than it hurt even him and he, the all powerful leader of the Autobots, was wrapped around that tiny mech's finger from orn one. He adored the creature with all his spark. However, to Ironhide the disappointment went deeper.

It stung the hardened weapon specialist worse.

Bee was the first youngling Optimus had ever had the privilege to adore with every speck of his spark, but for Ironhide he wasn't. He was the one he'd been given a second chance with. A chance the mech refused to mess up. Even if that meant he along with every other member of the commander's crew were spoiling the brilliant little mech rotten.

"It has been a difficult orn, young one. None of us were expecting to wake up to find you gone."

Bee lessened his pout at that.

His Prime made a good point. The twins had kind of scared the whole crew senseless.

The youngling gave a small nod unable to deny that it had been a complicated orn.

"And you know we didn't forget." Ratchet poked the youngling gently in the side earning him a smile before Bee finally let all his annoyance go.

"I know." Bee turned to share his smile with his guardian who smiled in return reaching out with his spark to the familiar warmth the youngling pulsed with every beat of his spark. Bee quickly snatched up the protective strength that Hide's spark soaked him with before he did the same to the wise and calm warmth that was Ratchet's spark and then the powerful kind presence that was Optimus's.

"Happy ninth spark-orn my little Bee." Ironhide practically cooed as he cuddled the tiny mech in love and warmth from the glow in his spark.

Bumblebee's baby blue optics shimmered with light. "Thanks Hide."

"Same here, Squirt." Ratchet nodded.

"Happy spark-orn, Bumblebee." Optimus smiled.

Bee grinned around at all of them with his little hands holding onto his tiny toes that were stretched out before him as he rocked back and forth on the table with that silly little smile that could melt even Prowl's resolve, even if the little creature didn't know it.

"Guess this means I have to admit you're a youngling now right, Bumblebee?" Ratchet teased.

"Uh huh."

"You're still my little Squirt, though." The medic reached forward scooping Bumblebee up and tickling him lightly as he cradled the tiny creature to his chest. "Always will be."

"Not a squirt!" Bee chocked around giggles as he playfully tried to push the tickling fingers away.

"Are too." Hide flicked him on an antenna, hardly enough to be considered more than touching him, but Bee kicked out at him for all he was worth nonetheless his giggles growing louder.

"Not!"

"Are too."

With a sudden harsh hiss the door to the med-bay swished open cutting off the debate as every mech in the room turned to find a panting Jazz in the doorway who's bright optics narrowed at the sight of the little yellow mech sitting in Ratchet's arms. "Why you little sneak!" The short silver mech stomped into the bay. "You tricked me!"

Bee shrank down in the strong medic's arms offering a timed little smile to the fuming saboteur. Ratchet allowed the youngling to hide as the angry mech stomped up beside him to glare down at Bee.

"You planned to sneak off didn't you!?" Jazz almost snarled. He'd been searching the whole fraggin' ship for the youngling, and had just about given up and called Prowl. Which would have ended horribly with his audio processors ringing from the lecture that stupid two-tone mech would have given him. At the last klick though Jazz realized just where this sneaky little creature would be.

And he was right.

That didn't stop him from venting his frustration though.

After all that had happened this orn hadn't the youngling had enough vanishing? Jazz wasn't sure his spark could take much more moments of 'Where in the slaggin' Pit is Bumblebee!?'.

"No." Bee tried to lie. Which was something that didn't work out all that well for him. He never had been very good at it. It was the only time he'd ever not liked his little 'talent' as his family called it. The ability for him to feel and be felt with his spark like nothing else in the universe meant when he tried to deceive it was kind of like claiming he was painted red. The unnatural way his brilliant burning little spark flickered was a dead giveaway that he wasn't telling the truth. He couldn't lie.

He just couldn't.

"You can't lie, Lil' Bee." Jazz raised an optics ridge still fuming.

"You're the one that was stupid enough to play hide and seek with him, Jazz." Ratchet snorted, coming to the youngling's rescue. He wasn't anymore pleased that Bee decided to sneak off from the ninja than Jazz was, but it was his spark orn and the young mech had heard enough lectures for now. "Can't blame him for out smarting you."

"No bot asked you!" Jazz turned his glare to the medic, earning him a narrow optic warning from Ratchet.

"Sorry, Jazzy." The sweet little way the youngling spoke it melted the annoyance right out of the saboteur in one fail swoop. Snorting he leaned against the table staring out across the bay just so he wouldn't snatch up the youngling and spin him around the room.

"Oh fine," He relented as he crossed his arms over his chest. "It's not possible to be mad at you anyway."

"Sadly." Ironhide chuckled.

"Spoiled rotten little squirt." Ratchet agreed as he began tickling the youngling once more filling his medical bay with the sounds of laughter.

* * *

"Hide?" Bumblebee sat in the middle of his guardian's berth playing with two of his favorite toys. One was a bright blue rubber t-rex—dubbed Rexy—that Jazz showed up with after a mission, and the second was a fuzzy stuffed yellow and black honeybee with shiny soft white wings, big baby blue eyes, and two curled black antennas that danced atop its head. The soft toy—dubbed Buzz—was almost as big as he was, but the orn Ironhide had come back from a mission too some far away planet in the middle of the Milky Way galaxy with this toy the youngling had been on cloud nine. He didn't put it down for a Decacycle carrying it with him everywhere.

It was his favorite toy in the whole universe. One because he thought it was awesome and two because Ironhide had gotten it for him.

Ironhide glanced up from his paperwork to catch sight of the youngling who was sitting in a pile of his bright yellow, ruby red, and dark black blankets playing with his favorite toys.

"What is it, Bee?" He questioned. He was answered by the youngling dropping his favorite play things and holding open his arms with pleading little optics. Ironhide smiled slightly, pushing himself from his desk to walk over and carefully snatch up Bumblebee. Cradling the yawning youngling he made his way back over to his desk to finish his report. Bee snuggled up against Hide's powerful chest trying to cover his yawns as he busied himself with the tattered places that never left his guardian's frame. Bumblebee knew every dent, every scar, and every slightly pealed place of paint that his guardian had yet never bother to fix. The little mech had every bit of Ironhide memorized in his spark.

Why he did it, he wasn't all that sure, but he did it none the less.

It put his worrying little processor to ease for some reason. Most of the time it helped him recharge. However, this evening he didn't want to fall into recharge yet so he asked a question hadn't figured out.

"Hide," He whispered.

Ironhide hummed in reply.

"Why did Sides and Sunny get in trouble for taking me off the ship?"

"Because it's dangerous, Bumblebee. You know that."

"But nothin' bad happen."

"That doesn't change the fact that it could."

An abrupt knocking ended further conversations as Ironhide glanced toward his door. Bee sat up in his arms reaching out with his spark to find out who was there. He grinned broadly when he felt Optimus on the other side.

"Optimus!" He practically chirped.

Hide chuckled. "It's open, Prime."

The door opened with a hiss allowing the towering commander to step into his friend's quarters. It was getting late and he could feel the youngling's long orn weighing on his tried spark, but he also knew that Ironhide had been keeping him busy for breems so the last of the night's surprises could be finished. Bumblebee couldn't be falling into recharge just yet. Even if keeping the little mech up was something Ratchet would throw a fit about.

"Good evening." Optimus greeted as he made his way to Ironhide's desk which was as messy as ever with data chips thrown this way and that, stacks of reports half way to the ceiling, and Bee's many knick knacks he'd been gifted with over the vorns scattered all over creation.

"Evening, Optimus." Ironhide pushed back in his chair allowing Bee to bounce in his arms as he reached for the commander.

"Optimus! Optimus!" The towering red and blue mech took the youngling from his friend pulling him up to rest in the crook of his arm. "Hi, Optimus!"

"Hello again, Bumblebee."

"Guess what!"

The leader chuckled. "What?"

The youngling was about to answer when suddenly he went very quiet looking away from the two mechs in the room to stare at the door that had closed behind the leader. Optimus stilled at the look of confusion that passed over the young mech's optics.

"What that?" Bee asked quietly.

Optimus turned to the door pushing out with his Gift to find a weary Jazz doing his very best to keep his bond with the youngling hidden, not something he did very well, as he snuck around the halls of the ship trying to gather last klick supplies. Optimus rolled his optics in half amusement half annoyance. Could that mech never do anything on time? He was probably shut up in his office listening to those annoying 'tunes' of his when he should have been helping decorate earlier and now was running around like a glitch trying to get it done. Prowl was going to get to lecture some bot besides the twins this orn after all it seemed.

_Well at least it will put him in a better humor._ Optimus admitted to himself.

Optimus was a little surprised though. Bee could feel Jazz's attempts to conceal himself from the clever spark the little yellow mech possessed. It was just another peg in the wall to Optimus. The more he learned about his beloved youngling the more he feared the revelations that were bound to come.

"Nothing, Bumblebee." Optimus assured him earning him a disbelieving look, but the tiny mech relented nonetheless turning back to the leader. "Now, what am I guessing about?"

Bee wiggled in Optimus's hold until the leader was forced to put him down and watch along with an amused Ironhide as the tiny yellow mech bounced across the room, climbed the little stairs that allowed him to reach his berth, and began throwing blankets, toys, and anything else he'd 'found' around the ship until he chirped with joy turning back to the mechs holding the very thing the twins had given him outside.

An old, rusted, and broken Strategy War piece. A commander's ship no less. The most important piece in the whole game.

Dread filled Optimus at the sight of it.

He hadn't realized in the chaos of all the yelling, excuses, and trying to keep Ironhide from offlineing the twins what it was that Bee was clutching to his chest as he sat in Ratchet's hands. The Prime hadn't seen one of those in what felt like a life time. He hadn't wanted to see one ever again.

Bee's happy grin slid right off his little faceplate at the darkening air that suddenly clutched his two favorite bots. He lowered his new toy glancing between them. Had he done something wrong?

"What's wrong?" He questioned once again afraid he'd messed up somehow.

Optimus shook his head to clear it when Ironhide placed a knowing hand on his shoulder as the thickly built black mech rose to his feet heading over to snatch up his charge.

"Nothing is wrong, Bee." Ironhide assured him feeling like every mech aboard this ship told the youngling that way too much. It just seemed the little creature was always trying to apologize for something or another. Why he did it though the mech wasn't sure. "You just shocked us that's all. Where did you get this?" Bee placed his new toy in the open palm of his guardian as he stared at it with joy.

"Sides and Sunny!" He answered.

"Of course." Ironhide had to keep from rolling his optics. They would manage to find a game piece to give Bumblebee in the middle of all that carnage, and _this _game piece no less.

"Don't you like it?" Bee shifted in Hide's hold.

"It's kinda broken don't you think, Bee?" Ironhide countered knowing how much the sight of the playing piece bothered Optimus.

"Wheeljack can fix it! Wheeljack says he can fix anything!"

Ironhide snorted harshly before his optics narrowed. "And when did he you tell that?"

"Couple orns ago. He show me his lab."

"He what!?" Ironhide snapped.

"A matter to be discussed at a different time." Optimus stepped in once he had cleared his processor of all the memoires the object brought him. "I'm sure Wheeljack wasn't doing anything dangerous, Hide."

"It's Wheeljack for Primus sakes! He _breathes_ explosions!"

"Hey," Bee scolded. "Wheeljack fun!"

"Wheeljack is never watching you again." Ironhide ground out as he mentally pictured the best way to decapitate that nut job of a inventor. "I don't know how he managed it in the first place."

"Jazzy was pranking Prowl."

With a grumbled sort of sigh that made Bee giggle Ironhide closed his optics trying to stop himself from handing his charge over to Optimus and going to find that fool so he could scrap him along with Jack. If it wouldn't ruin what was left of his youngling's spark-orn he'd do it in a spark-beat.

"That figures."

Bee tilted his head in confusion. "What wrong now?"

"Pranks annoy your guardian, Little Bee." Optimus said with a little amusement. "You should have learned that by now."

"Oh . . . yeah." Bee nodded slowly not really understand why his beloved guardian didn't like the pranks Jazz and Sides pulled. He thought they were funny.

Board with the conversation he took back his new toy holding the broken ship that was half a big as he was to his chest as he rocked back and forth with it. The object still confused him. Sunny had told him it was a piece to something, but he didn't really understand what. As his guardian and Optimus shared a silent look before turning to head out of the room Bee inspected his new found plaything. It really wasn't as grand, shiny, or fun as his other toys. Ironhide was right about it being broken. However, the youngling loved it. Because Sunstreaker and Sideswipe had gone to all that trouble, gotten themselves thrown in the brig, just to make him happy. He would treasure this toy among his most priced passions because of that.

Though he still really wanted to know just what it was.

"Optimus?"

The commander glanced down to where Bumblebee sat crossed legged in Hide's out stretched hand.

"What . . . ." He tried to recall the word for a moment before finally figuring it out. "Strategy War?"

"It's a board game." Optimus answered carefully.

"Like Dueler Cards?"

"No it's not a card game, Bee." Ironhide said. "It's like its name says. It's a strategy game. Like battle plans. The point is to concur your opponent's base."

Bee tilted his head. "Do you know how to play?"

"I never really liked it." Ironhide cast a careful glance to his left as he and Optimus headed down a few levels toward the rec room. Most bots would have missed the way the Prime tensed up ever so slightly, but Ironhide was not most bots. He had known Prime for too long to have missed the action. The massive black mech wondered just how far that little rocket was throwing his dear friend into the past.

Bee turned his curios gaze to the commander sensing his hesitation.

"I haven't played in many vorns, Bumblebee." The towering mech sighed thinking back to the last game he'd played. The game he never finished.

"Can I play?" Bee asked holding up the toy.

"We don't have the game." Ironhide told him.

"Oh." Bumblebee wasn't really sure why both mechs seemed to not want to talk about the game, but he figured he had better stop bringing it up. Instead he focused on where they were going. He was tired; it had been a very long very interesting orn, but that didn't stop him from trying to shake himself out of it so he could find out where they were going. He knew very well if he looked too tired Ironhide would put him straight to recharge without a klick of thought. His guardian had already seen him yawn and ask to be held, he was aware he was tired. So Bee was dead set to make sure that he didn't show it anymore.

The trio walked in silence until they reached the massive closed door to the mess hall. That was when something seemed very wrong to the little youngling.

The door to the mess hall was never closed.

Never.

Not ever.

Simply because behind closed doors that hid big empty rooms certain bots tended to do things that got them in trouble.

Bee would know.

He'd been sitting in the middle of a big metal table watching Jazz and Sides hot wire the speakers in the mess hall too make the 'Biggest jam session this ship has ever seen!' the last time those doors were closed. It had been funny while it lasted, but it was safe to say the end result hadn't been all that great. Bee could still hear Ratchet yelling about how he was going to turn both the mechs into toasters for making Prowl glitch again.

"Optimus," Bee glanced around. "The door shut."

"That it is." The leader did his best to hide his smile as he went to punch in the numbers into the code lock on the wall.

"You said not suppose be shut anymore."

"That I did."

"Then why it shut?"

Ironhide had to bite his own lip to keep form laughing as he pulled the youngling up in his grasp before setting him down carefully before the door. "Why don't you go find out?"

Bee looked between the mechs in utter confusion before the big door swished open revealing complete darkness on the other side.

Bee didn't move an inch.

Instead he clutched his new toy closer to his chest staring into the inky blackness as if something was going to jump out and grab him. He wasn't all that positive that something wouldn't. He had an inherent weakness though. He was curios, and out of curiosity he tended to do things that scared him just because he wanted to see what it was, what was going to happen, or maybe to just see the look on Hide's faceplate when he found out. So ever so slightly he took a small step forward, glanced over his shoulder to make sure Ironhide and Optimus were still there to smash anything that jumped at him. Satisfied that his loyal protectors were there he reached out with his spark trying to feel what was in the room. What he found was confusing to the little mech. It was like the wall he put up around his spark when he didn't want to be found was covering the room and yet he wasn't doing it. How was there a wall around the room? What was in there? After all it was the mess hall shouldn't some bots be in there?

Taking another step into the room he glanced around the darkness prying for any clue that would show him just what was going on. Frustrated that he couldn't find anything he was about to turn back around with a pout when the lights to the hall sparkled to life and a load unanimous shout rang out.

"HAPPY SPARK-ORN BUMBLEBEE!"

"Epp!" Bee clicked in fright spinning around and dashing back to the safety of his guardian. Ironhide chuckled deeply as every bot in the room that had jumped up from behind tables to surprise the youngling now stared in shock to find him peeking out from behind his guardian's foot to stare back at them with optics widened in fright.

"Told you it would frighten him." Prowl's voice drew Bee's optics to find him not among the standing bots he knew well. Instead he was sitting at a table that was decorated with yellow and blue streamers and on which sat a massive purple energon cake.

"Oh mute it." Jazz waved a hand over at him before he bent down to lock optics with the youngling. "Surprised ya didn't we?"

Bee glanced around before it finally clicked to his little processor. They were throwing him a surprise party! An excited click exploded from the little mech as he bolted from behind his guardian and into the crowded room sending every mech there into a fit of laugher when he launched himself into Jazz's awaiting hands.

Optimus and Ironhide watched with amusement as Jazz spun around bouncing the youngling up and down in the air before Ratchet snapped at him to knock it off before he dropped him. With a silent glance to each other both mechs entered the room as it became a buzz of conversation and laughter. Every mech that wanted to be present at the youngling's party was here now. Prowl had made it possible for everyone to be off duty and the whole ship not fall into ruin. It hadn't been easy with the stunt the twins had pulled, but he managed it. So now the little mech could be surrounded by all the bots that cared about him.

Bluestreak, Wheeljack, Cliffjumper, Blurr, Hound, Trailbreaker, Tracks, Inferno, Red Alert, Perceptor, Blaster, Silverbolt, Air Raid, and so many others that Bee had the biggest smile in the history of smiles on his faceplates. Every mech aboard the ship was here—well minus Sunny and Sides—and all of them poured attention over the little mech with games and gifts. Not to mention the giant cake that was topped with nine little candles that Ratchet had made for the youngling. That would come in a little while though. At the moment Bumblebee was sitting cross legged in the middle of a circle of bots opening presents that had been either made or found for the little mech. Hound and Trailbreaker had given the little youngling a strange item they'd found on their last recon mission on a distant planet. It was a large squishy sphere painted black and red that was used in a strange yet entertaining game the brothers had promised to teach Bee when he opened the present, squished the large toy to his chest, and smiled at the pair. Red Alert had made Bee a new puzzle block game for him to play. Silverbolt and Air Raid pitched in together to get him a new game chip for his data pad that Perceptor had updated for his gift. Bluestreak got him his own C-Ball staff which Ironhide wacked the mech over the head for, but Bee was giddy about finally having his own staff even if it toward over him. Perceptor promised he'd make adjustments so the youngling could play with it and not hurt himself. Optimus, Ironhide, and Ratchet had made Bee a fascinating little device that would show him any creature or place the youngling asked for. It was a small disk with a computer like screen and Bee absolutely adored it. Several other presents came his way and Bee loved them all until he came to the last brightly wrapped packaged that sat on the end of the table from him. It was bright yellow to match his paint with a bright blue ribbon sitting atop it. Wheeljack grinned with delight at the joy in Bee's optics at the sight of the package he'd worked so hard on.

Reaching for the large box the scientist pushed it to the youngling. Bee bounced with joy snatching up the bow twirling it around before placing it atop his head between his flicking antennas. The mechs laughed at the sight, a few snapping pictures as Bee went to tear into the package with the bow still stuck to his head. All went fine until all the paper came off leaving Bee quite confused standing in front of a big empty metal box. Jazz and Wheeljack went very still when Bee pushed himself up on his tip toes and peered into the empty container.

"Empty?" He glanced up at the inventor and the saboteur in confusion. They had said this one was from both of them. That they pitched in together to get it. Why was it empty?

"Uh yeah it is." Jazz reached for the box flipping it over and shaking it just to make sure the surprise wasn't in there.

"Why is it empty?" Wheeljack snatched the container staring at it in confusion.

"I don't know _you _wrapped it." Jazz placed his hands on his hips glaring at the wacky inventor. "Why is it empty, Jack?"

"You wrapped an empty box?" Prowl questioned in confusion.

"No!" Wheeljack snapped. "It was in there! I swear . . . I'm like ninety-two percent sure."

"Ninety-two percent?" Optimus tilted his head.

"Eighty-three." The suddenly nervous mech shrugged and went to looking around, even glancing under the table.

"Eighty-three?!" Jazz seethed.

Wheeljack popped back up giving the sliver mech another nervous chuckle.

"Make it sixty-five."

"Wheeljack!" The saboteur was about ready to strangle his friend. After all they'd done to get the youngling what they had and the stupid idiot went and lost it! They were both going to be so scraped! Prowl was gonna blast him off into space and let Perceptor turn Wheeljack into spear parts. Not to mention what Ironhide was going to do. He was gonna be mad in the first place when he found out what they got the youngling, but when he found out it was lose in the ship and that Bee was gonna want to look for it he was gonna be livid. Jazz could already picture all the ways the weapons specialist was going to twist him.

"What was in the box, Jazz?" Bluestreak questioned.

"Umm . . . ."

"Where it?" Bee blinked up at the mech in confusion.

"_What_ is it?" Ironhide's optics narrowed at the fear visibly climbing up Wheeljack's frame and the way Jazz looked about ready to blast him.

"Well ya see—" Wheeljack started only to be cut off when the cake down the table exploded sending purple frosting showering the room and everything in it with sticky sugary energon. Confused shouts and angry curses rang out as the mechs stumbled at the sudden action. Blasters were raised, cannons hummed to life, swords were drawn, and wrenches were suddenly grasped only for all of them to lower in shock as Bee let out a happy squeak at the sight of the rather large blue and silver robo-cat sitting at the end of the table where the cake had been licking the remains of the item off its paws. "Oh! That's where I left him!" Wheeljack shouted in glee.

"WHEELJACK!" The room exploded with mechs screaming at the inventor who back up raising his hands.

"Hey! Jazz was in on it too!"

"Jazz!" Ironhide swung around to the silver mech who backed up as well from the seething guardian when he saw what the two had gotten his charge. "_You_ got a _robo-cat_!?"

"No!" Jazz defended as if he'd been insulted. "_We_ got him a robo-cat."

"Yay!" Bumblebee hopped in glee before he hurried down the table earning every bots attention as he practically skipped to the robo-cat that now blinked at him in curiosity as the tiny mech came to a stop in front of the creature staring at the large feline like creature with joy filled optics. The Cybertron version of a house cat leaned down to sniff at the small mech sending him into a fit of giggles. This seemed to amuse the robo-cat which purred audibly in response before shoving its slick muzzle into the youngling's arms. Bee wrapped his arms around the large short muzzle laughing with utter happiness while he clung tightly and the robo-cat lifted him a few feet off the ground with another purr before placing him back down carefully. It was almost like the creature understood the little one was fragile and should be handled with care. It leaned forward giving the little mech a lick on the faceplate making him giggle again before it laid down wrapping its paws around Bee and curling it's long whip like tall around him seemingly to claim him as its own to hold and protect.

Bumblebee looked like he was on cloud nine.

"I think our gift has been upstaged, brother." The rather annoyed voice of Sunstreaker echoed around the silent room making every mech—even the robo-cat and Bumblebee—turn in shock to find the tall golden warrior leaning against the frame of the door with a raised optic ridge and a put out air rolling off of him. He'd been thrown in the brig, forced to relive his past, and upstaged by that nutty Wheeljack and Jazz nonetheless all in one orn. His anger was tangible at that point.

Sideswipe on the complete other end of the spectrum though was clutching his sides trying to keep from offlineing of laughing at the whole crazy mess of it all. He found it utterly hilarious. Leave it to Jazz to come up with this. The only part Sides found annoy was that they hadn't got him in on it. "Seems so!" The red mech snorted still trying catch his breath.

"How the Pit did you two get out here!?" Prowl was on the very edge of his sanity at the happenings of the last few klicks, his optics twitching like never before. That much even Bee had noticed. The sight of the twins—whom he had thrown in the brig not four breems ago—pushed him right up to the edge. It was even more unlikely than the robo-cat currently snuggling the youngling. His logic processor was whirling quickly into overdrive.

"Oh please," Sunstreaker waved the second-in-command off. "It's us, mech."

"We broke out." Sideswipe stood up straight finally getting ahold of himself as he gazed at the mech with a smirk. "Wasn't that hard."

Sunstreaker snorted. "You can't keep me somewhere I don't want to be, and for unknown fraggin' reasons I feel the need to be at Half Pints secret party. So here I am."

"I'll just admit it." Sides shrugged. "I wanted to be here."

"B-b-but how did you get out?" Prowl stuttered. The first sign he was about to glitch. Ratchet went to try and calm him down, but the twins glanced at each other with a devilish smirk before they answered beating the medic to his purpose.

"We snatched your code key." They grinned in unison as Sides broke into laughter and Sunny held up the black code key that his brother had swiped before Prowl shut them in the brig. Prowl grasped at his subspace pocket before realizing that his card was in fact gone. His optics sparked before his logic processor snapped and with a pop he glitched on the spot. With a crash the second-in-command of the Autobots hit the floor.

Hard.

Ratchet cursed at the twins.

Ironhide rolled his optics.

Jazz snorted in laughter at his friend.

Optimus sighed deeply praying to Primus for strength as he shook his head slowly.

Then there was Bee, who cheered with glee at the sight of his beloved twins. They had come to his spark-orn party! He was absolutely thrilled! Unable to imagine a better orn he smiled like he'd been given the best things in the universe, and as far as he was concurred he had.

It truly was the best spark-orn in the history of spark-orns.

He was quite sure that his family was the best in the universe.

* * *

**And I'm inclined to agree with him. **

**Well, there you have it. Chapter 3! I hope you guys enjoyed it as much as I do!**

**So please Read and Review! You already know how much I love to hear what you guys think. Especially about chapters that I adore!**

**On another note, **

**Risk, who is the robo-cat by the way, is my original character. I'm sure you all already knew that, and he is the first of many to make his entrance. Well besides the 'Watchers' but you guys already knew that. Who forgot about them? Ha, have no fear they will be back. Or many you should fear . . . they aren't really the best of news for Bumblebee. *Hint* *Hint***

**Anyway, I am dedicating this chapter, well really Risk, but either way I am dedicating it to the memory of my own cat Chevy who I had to put to sleep. Risk was kind of modeled after him and this chapter was written before he died so it was a little hard for me to edit which is why its a day late, but Risk is an important part of the story and I think I owe it to Chevy to keep his memory in the character and for Risk to serve his purpose for the story. These last few weeks have been kind of awful for me, not just from losing Chevy, a lot of horrible things have happened. You know how it is when it rains it pours, but fear not I will be fine. ****It's just kind of slowing down my writing. So I'm sorry the chapter was late it was just a little difficult to finally get to the part where Risk comes in and to know that I no longer have Chevy, but next week it should be up on Saturday like normal. **

**Thank you all for your continued support in the favorites and the reviews! Believe it or not they really are keeping this story going! And each and every one make me smile despite a bad day. So once again thank you. **

**Chat with ya later!**

**-Jay**

**R.I.P Chevy**

**06/06/08 - 10/14/13**

**I'll miss you forever.**


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own Transformers. **

**However, the plot and OCs are mine. So no touchy.**

**And so it begins.**

**Please Read and Review.**

* * *

Chapter 4

"Bubbles?"

"Check."

"A giant yellow rubber cyber-duck?"

"Check."

"Fluffy yellow wash rag?"

"Check."

"Bathtub full of warm cleaning fluid?"

"Check."

"Annoying, hissing, stupid idiotic robo-cat crouched in the corner?"

"Check."

"Youngling in need of a bath?"

"Che— Wait where did he go?" Sideswipe dropped the squeaky duck in the bubble filled fluid glancing around frantically for the youngling he and his brother were supposed to be cleaning.

"Damn it Sides!" Sunstreaker pushed himself away from the tub looking around the small washroom. "We're locked in the fraggin' showers! How did you lose him in here?"

"Crafty little glitch!" Sideswipe mumbled as he started throwing towels around the small closed off section of the showers where Ratchet had set up a tiny tub that could be used to bathe Bumblebee. "First time we get to watch him again in ten orns and I lose! What the frag?!"

"If you and Jazz hadn't got him covered in adhesive this wouldn't be happening!"

"Hey, no bot asked you."

"I had no part in this why the frag do I have to help you clean him!?"

"Because Jazz is in the med-bay trying to pick broken glass out of his frame!"

"You two and your damn pranks."

"You love 'em too you idiot! Admit it!"

"I will do no such thing!"

Bee poked his tiny yellow head up from behind Risk's two-tone frame trying to stop his giggles as the twins threw towels at each other trying to find him. The long, slender, sleek silver and blue robo-cat with glowing blue and silver spots covering almost all of his frame crouched lower to the floor so his master, whom he was so protective over, could huddle even further against him to watch the other mechs. His flicking spiked tail curled up to his frame as his tall, pointed, blue audio receptors folded down to his head when a towel bounced off his short muzzle. The robo-cat hissed wickedly making the twins finally stop throwing stuff at each other long enough to notice the little yellow antennas sticking up from behind the hissing feline.

They both groaned.

"Told ya we should have left him out in the hall." Sides sighed.

"Oh yeah," Sunny snorted. "You want to try and get the glitch away from Bee? He's been attached to his hip ever since he jumped out of the cake."

"Hide really needs to murder Wheeljack and Jazz for this." Sideswipe said lifting an optics ridge.

"I'll hold them down." Sun agreed.

"No!" Bee jumped up from behind Risk to dispute the statement only to realize to late it was a trick. Sides laughed springing forward to snatch the youngling up away from the robo-cat that hissed louder slicing its razor sharp claws at the red mech who plucked his master away from him. "Hey! Don't want bath!"

"To bad." Sunstreaker huffed. With a hiss of his own he kick away the snarling feline that paced the wall when the youngling was taken from him. "We're not gonna hurt him you glitchy fragger! Calm your aft down!"

"Will you stop cursing!?" Sides scolded as he dropped a wiggling Bumblebee into the warm fluid and began scrubbing him with the rag. Once Bee was in the bath he knew it was foolish to fight back against the massive red warrior who had put him there so he quit struggling to get away. Instead he reached for his squeaky duck pushing it around the pillows of bubbles while Sides began to scrub the layers of adhesive that were caked on his arms away as Sunny had a hissing contest with Bee's new pet.

When Sides had decided to employ the tiny mech in his little game of pay-back-on-Prowl-for-locking-the-twins-in-the-bri g-instead-of-letting-them-go-to-Bee's-party he hadn't planed on the fact that the youngling was going to think that super adhesive appeared to be fun. It had somehow though, and while Sideswipe and Jazz were busy trying to glue every data pad in Prowl's office to his ceiling and make them play show tunes on repeat they hadn't noticed until too late that Bee, who employed Risk in his adventure, had dumped the whole barrel of the stuff off Prowl's desk and onto himself along with the floor. How the tiny yellow mech managed that Sides still hadn't really figured out, but Bee did, and than he processed to think it was the most fun thing he'd come up with since he got Risk and started painting himself with it. Of course by then Jazz and Sides noticed causing Jazz to panic at the sight of Bee covered in super adhesive and very idea of explaining that to Ironhide and Optimus. That caused the silver saboteur to fall out of the chair he'd been standing in and crash into Prowl's desk covered in computer screens ending up with glass stabbed into pretty much every nook and cranny a mech had.

Unfortunately.

However, Bumblebee had thought that was pretty funny too.

But with a youngling sticking himself to the floor, Jazz a walking disco ball, and Prowl's office pretty much destroyed Side's prank was kind of a bust. He was a little disappointed about it, but he had managed to hide the fact that he had allowed Bee to cover himself in super adhesive and no mech besides him and Jazz knew that Bee had even been at ground zero of Sideswipe's latest mess, well besides Sunny, but he always knew what foolish thing Sideswipe did now. So Sides had been saved from that lecture from Prowl and Prime, now he just had to get the youngling clean before he and Sunny had to take him back to Optimus because the red warrior and Jazz were going to have to go on double shift tonight in punishment for the wreck they had made of Prowl's office.

And of course the red twin called upon his golden brother to help clean up the hidden, covered in adhesive, youngling before he got caught on that as well.

Not something Sunstreaker was all that happy about, but like always he did anything his little brother needed even if he complained for most of it.

"This is your slagging fault you glitch!" Sunny growled at his brother. "And you! Get the Pit away from me you vile little pest!" He tossed another towel at Risk who snarled before letting out another annoyed hiss as he paced across the washroom.

"Sunstreaker, knock it off!" Sides pleaded as he scrubbed a giggling Bumblebee.

"I'll stop cursing when this glitch learns his place!"

"If you hurt that robo-cat Half Pint is gonna cry and Optimus is gonna feed you to Prowl."

"Prowler doesn't scare me." Sunstreaker huffed.

"Nothing scare Sunny!" Bee's enthusiastic little chirp rang out from where he was buried in the billowing bubbles.

"You are correct, Half Pint!" Sunstreaker laughed with a firm nod to Bumblebee as he joined his brother at the tub side. Sideswipe—never one to be upstaged—dunked the tiny yellow mech earning him a gurgling little protest. Once Bee gasped air again he glared up at the tall red mech who only shrugged with a smirk.

"And what about me?" Sides raised an optic ridge.

Bee rolled his bright optics before giving in. "Sides scared of nothin' too."

"That's right." He beamed. "Now hold still so we can get you clean. My filthy little Bumblebee."

* * *

Several breems of splashing and hissing later found Bumblebee wrapped up tight in a fluffy yellow blanket sitting in Sideswipe's lap in the rec room watching a fascinating TV show about organic creatures called honeybees. He giggled in delight every time the deep monotone voice of the show said 'bee' and clutched his fluffy toy, that he realized looked just like one of those honeybees on the screen, to his tiny chest. At the opposite end of the couch sat a rather annoyed Risk keeping a careful optic on Bee as he glared death threats to the red warrior that had possession of his master. The youngling knew that his much loved new pet didn't like his caretakers and that his twin caretakers didn't really like his new pet, but he made them at least try to act civilized toward each other.

It was working . . . sort of.

For the most part he was ignoring the daggers the twins and the robo-cat kept glaring back and forth to one another. He was sure they wouldn't try and hurt the other so he figured he could trust them to not try and offline each other while he was busy watching honeybees. He was enjoying the show far too much to worry about the issue anyway, and he watched with utter fascination as the small buzzing creatures danced in the air between bright color things called flowers. He'd never seen anything like it, but he was in love with whatever planet it was that they were from.

"Sides?" Bee questioned not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Sup, Half Pint?" The red mech answered wrapping his arm around the little youngling that sat in his lap rocking back and forth in his fluffy yellow blanket.

"Where are those?" Bumblebee pointed to the screen.

"I'm not sure." Sides admitted having realized he hadn't really been paying attention to the program he'd found to entertain Bee before he had to take him back to Optimus. Well at least he was paying more attention than his brother who was snoring next to him on the couch with his head unknowing resting on the red twin's shoulder. "Prowl would know though, or maybe . . . ." Sides turned from the TV glancing around the rec room. Cliffjumper and Blaster were across the room at the C-Ball tables knocking large stone balls back and forth with their sleek playing sticks. Blaster was mid-strike of the highest point ball into a pocket when Sides spoke up knocking him out of his concentration making him miss the shot. "Hey Blast!"

The ball slammed just short of the pocket before it rolled to a stop.

Blaster practically growled at the sight of his missed shot while Cliffjumper snorted his victory.

"And that's the game, Blasty." Cliff said. "You owe me seventy credits, _dear_ friend."

"I'm gonna scrap you Sideswipe!" Blaster swore turning toward the red twin.

"Where are honeybees from?" Sides asked ignoring the threat.

"What in Pit is a honeybee?" Blaster threw his playing stick onto the round, black, table only to increase his glare.

"No bot watchin'?" Bee questioned, insulted that no one else found the show as wonderful as he did.

"I don't give a frag about your annoying organic program, Bumblebee." Blaster fumed taking his anger out on Bee.

"Stop being such a sore loser, Blast." Cliffjumper nudged him in the arm. "Bee didn't do anything."

"I swear if he wasn't in your lap I'd slug you." Blaster just went right on glaring at Sideswipe.

"Sure you would." Sides chuckled grinning over the back of the couch as Bee blinked around at all of them.

What had he done now? And why wouldn't anybot tell him where honeybees were from?

"Sides," The little mech poked his caretaker in the midsection. "Where honeybees? Want one. Can I have one?"

"Why do you want one?" Cliffjumper, abounding the game he'd won, strolled over to the couch and plopped down between Sideswipe and Risk. The two tone robo-cat didn't mind the short red bot so he did nothing but twitch his tail back and forth ever so slightly. "You're like twenty times cuter than those things."

Bee broke into a broad grin.

"Yeah, like his ego needs to get any bigger." Blaster rolled his optics as he stomped out of the rec room leaving Bee blinking in confusion in his wake.

"I do something?" He asked nervously.

"Nah," Cliff reassured the tiny bundle turning up the program so he'd get distracted. "Blast is just a really sore loser and he's been of shift all orn so he's kind of tired."

"He's worse than Sunny when he loses." Sides laughed. His brother snorted in his sleep making every bot chuckle as they relaxed against the soft couch watching the tiny yellow forms dance around colorful plants.

* * *

Bee sat to the side of Optimus's desk as the busy commander typed away at his reports humming quietly to himself. The little youngling was leaning against Risk's side as he stuck his small palm into the bucket of yellow paint that the robo-cat had his tail wrapped around. Squishing his fingers around in the sticky liquid Bee smiled as he placed his hand flat against the paper having the time of his life as he tried to make the smudges of yellow, black, blue, and purple he'd managed to pretty much cover himself and the floor around him in look like the organics he'd seen on the TV the night before. Hide was on shift again, with the twins this time, so Bee was getting to spend the orn with his Optimus again. Even if he was pretty sure Optimus had forgotten he was down there.

Bee didn't mind though.

He was too busy trying to make honeybees.

With a quiet giggle he leaned away from his paper again looking down at the splattered paint everywhere very proud of the image he'd come up with. There were four giant yellow blobs around the masterpiece with black smeared in here and there where he tired to give them stripes and antennas. The eyes he'd gotten closer with smudges of blue though his attempt at flowers he was the most proud of. The whole paper was covered in purple and blue where he'd tried to recreate the pretty plants that the monotone voice had called flowers. He was almost positive he'd made them look just like they were suppose to by mixing the blue in with the purple every now and again. He was also pretty sure that he and Risk had more paint on them than the paper did, not to mention how much he'd gotten on the floor, but Bee figured that if he should have quit than Optimus would have told him too. Then again Optimus hadn't looked up since he'd sat down behind his ten computer screens and started typing. Bee wasn't sure what he was doing, kind of figured he wouldn't understand if he asked, but still he had finished his picture and he wanted Optimus to see.

Twisting to look up at the desk that towered over him and the mech that wasn't paying him any attention he pouted. Tilting his little head Bee cast a glance over to Risk. The bright robo-cat blinked before he leaned forward to nudge Bumblebee toward the desk causing Bee reached for the wildfire like bond he and the robo-cat now shared. It was one of the reasons he loved the pet so much. The feral spark that burned so bright and welcomed Bee in like they were family fascinated the youngling. He wasn't sure if his family knew that he and Risk could call to each other like Bee could call to his caretakers. He wasn't sure if he was supposed to be able to.

He could though.

He understood Risk like the feline like creature could speak just the same as any other bots around him, but at the same time it was different. Bee and Risk communicated in a more primitive way. Bee didn't need spoke words with his robo-cat. They spoke with their sparks.

_"Up." _Risk never spoke in full sentences, and Bee wasn't sure if he could. Most of the time they communicated though feelings and jesters, only every once in a while did the robo-cat try for words, and when he did it was broken and seemingly forced. Bumblebee didn't really think that his language came easy to the robo-cat.

Bee glanced back and forth between the desk and his pet. _"He's busy."_

_"And?"_

_"Oh fine." _ Bee pushed himself up to his feet putting his picture behind his back as he peaked around the bottom of Optimus's desk. The mech was typing away as reports and words flashed across the multiple screens before him. Bee could feel how focus and stressed the commander was. The youngling was afraid of disturbing him with his little painting, but with the quiet hiss behind him Bee step on out. "Optimus?"

The commander hummed in response not looking up.

"Look." Bee produced the painting from behind his back offering it up to his present caretaker as if he was baring his soul for the universe to see. Optimus twisted in his office chair only half out of inner musing about the disturbing reports he and Magnus were messaging back and forth to each other at the moment, but the sight he found behind him defiantly snapped him into the present.

Bee grinned at the shock that registered in Optimus's optics as he stared down at the small youngling. Waving his painting in front of him it didn't even accrue to Bee that he was dripping in about four different colors of paint. Not that it bothered the youngling. Messy was half the fun of it.

"Honeybees!" Bee explained with glee. Optimus's optics softened to amusement as he chuckled quietly shaking his head. Leaning down he plucked his beloved—multiple shades of paint covered—Bumblebee from the floor bringing him up to rest in his lap. Bee smiled as he snuggled into Optimus's strong mid-section while the commander took the vibrant mess of splashes and youngling finger smudges to examine it.

"Yes, Bumblebee." Optimus praised. "And they are very pretty honeybees. Is this what has had you so quiet down there?"

"Yep!" Bee nodded quickly. Glancing away only a moment he pulled at Risk's spark asking him to come. He was granted a soft purr like vibration that silently rumbled between their bond before the robo-cat sprang up over the edge of Optimus's massive desk. The sight of the paint covered robo-cat didn't really surprise the Autobot leader at that point. He was just amused that the finicky, almost proud, feline like creature would allow himself to be splattered with paint. Though the leader had learned the last few orns that Risk had become Bee's new self-proclaimed protector, yielding to only Ironhide and Optimus himself. Every other bot on the ship was fair game to the razor like claws the four legged mech wielded when they tried to get between the pet and his new master. His long glittering grey fang-plates that poke out from under his short yet thick mussel were also well used weapons against any that crossed the robo-cat. His twitching wires along his nose plate that served as sort of whiskers were dripping in blue paint and his long pointed ear like audio-processors were splattered with yellow dots. Mostly though it was his two-tone blue spotted chassis that bared the most of the paint.

Optimus was almost positive he didn't want to know what his office floor looked like if even the robo-cat had that much paint on him.

"Risk helped." Bee said.

"I can see that." Optimus nodded. Turning his attention back to the art in his hand he was amused at how proud Bumblebee seemed of his work. "It's a very nice picture, Bumblebee."

"Saw on TV! Like it?"

"I do."

"Think Hide like it?"

"I'm sure he will."

"Prowl?"

Optimus raised an optic ridge tilting his head. "Prowl?"

"Wanna give to him." Bee nodded before a kind of nervous laugh left him as he shrugged his splattered shoulders. "I wanna say sorry."

"For what?"

"'Cuz. Helped Sides and Jazz prank him."

"You did what?"

"Sides and Jazz prank him, 'member? I helped." He admitted.

"You did?" Optimus had to hide his smile as the youngling fidgeted in his lap.

"Yeah," Bee nodded. "So thought maybe if painted him some honeybees he not be mad at me anymore."

"I doubt he is angry with you, Bumblebee." Optimus assured him. Risk let out a mew of agreement as he plopped down on the neat desk swishing his long tail back and forth. "See even Risk agrees."

"Still wanna give to him." Bee said. "Take me?"

Optimus glanced at the unfinished message on his screen before his optics returned to the youngling who gazed up at him with pleading optics.

He sighed.

How could he deny this creature anything?

He just didn't have the strength in his spark.

"Alright, Bumblebee." Optimus agreed. "Let's go find Prowl."

* * *

"What in the name of Primus did you do to yourself, Youngling?" Prowl almost dropped the data pad he was typing on when Risk sprang onto his desk with a paint covered youngling sitting on his back as Optimus chuckled in the doorway.

"Made you a picture!" Bee explained gleefully as he produced his masterpiece. Risk lowered himself to the desk so Bee could slide off his back and watched with careful optics as the youngling hurried across the once again perfectly spotless desk offering his drawing to Prowl. The all seriousness all the time white and black mech couldn't help his smile as he took the paper looking down at the smudges making them out to be the little earth creatures called honeybees. Once he had assessed his gift Prowl looked down to Bee who stood rocking back and forth on his little feet his hands clasp behind his back as he grinned up at the mech with a smile that could melt even the sparkless Megatron into a pile of goo.

"It is a wonderful gift, Youngling." Prowl nodded his thanks attaching the paper to the top of his desk over to the side where he could see it and yet it would not get in his way. "Thank you very much, but I must ask why am I getting it?"

"Wanted to say sorry." Bumblebee suddenly found the spotless desk beneath his dirty feet very interesting as he twisted a purple splattered toe around the surface. "Didn't mean to make mad by helping Sides and Jazzy. They said would be funny. I thought was funny, but you not think it was funny. Really, _really_, sorry. I won't do it again. I promise!"

Prowl sighed heavily at the pitiful little form before him only to glance to the mighty Prime in his office doorway that watched the youngling with such love it was tangible. Prowl had tried to keep his distance from the illogical attachment that would be befriending the youngling at first, in the end though he had failed miserably. The mech was very aware just how easily the little ones life could be snuffed out and the thought made the well seasoned warrior shiver. He didn't want to think about a life without Bumblebee. The youngling had become too important to every spark on _Artemis 1 _for the bots to ever go on without him.

"I am not angry with you, Bumblebee." Prowl said gently.

Bee's little head shot up his tiny antennas flicking with excitement.

"Really?"

"Really, Youngling." Prowl nodded running a careful digit over his head. Bee practically purred leaning into the touch of the mech that he didn't think he got to see enough. Prowl was always working. Always busy. And it always seemed to Bee that he would just be in the mech's way. So he tried to avoid being a nuance by just keeping his distance. That didn't mean he didn't like the serious bot though. Quite the opposite actually, he really liked Prowl.

"I told you he wasn't mad, Bumblebee." Optimus chuckled as he walked forward to sit in one of the chair across from Prowl's desk. The youngling only smiled between them before Risk let out a huff leaping from the tall metal desk and curling at the Prime's feet. The robo-cat didn't like being the center of attention and Optimus knew that the feline mech trusted him to take care of the master he was so protective over.

"I know," Bee nodded. "And Optimus always right."

The Prime laughed at the words. "Now I wouldn't say _always_."

"But you are." Bee tilted his tiny head his antennas flicking. "You always right."

"No bot is always right, Youngling." Prowl corrected him.

"Opt is!" Bee's voice slipped back to a much younger vocabulary something that often happened when he was getting tired or upset. In this instant the two mechs knew that it was portably both with the orn coming to a close.

"Well I'm flattered you feel that way, Bumblebee." Optimus relented taking the little mech into his hand and bringing him to rest against the thudding of his spark. Bee snuggled happily up against the leader's chest as he buried his head trying to hide his yawn. "I truly am."

Prowl watched the pair with a small smile for a moment, enjoying the simple sight of his friend so at ease. He was about to return to his unfinished shift schedule for the next few orns when the beeping of a communicator halted his actions. He glanced up as Optimus tensed in confusion as he reached his free hand up to touch the side of his head answering the comm link.

**"Prime here."**

**"Prime? It's Magnus."**

Optimus went on high alert his memory flashing back to the disturbing words that had been sent from this mech earlier. **"What is wrong, Magnus?"**

**"There is something you desperately need to hear, old friend."**Magnus answered, the tense worry evident in his voice. **"And you're not going to like it."**

* * *

The large meeting room was silent as the grave as the recording finished playing, but the air in the room was burning with so much anger in the sparks of the bots that sat around the massive table that Bee twisted in his sleep his little spark unconsciously reaching for the spark of his guardian who tightened his hold on the youngling that slept in his protective grip. The robo-cat who at first the massive black mech hadn't liked, but had proved his undying loyalty to his charge, paced angrily at Ironhide's feet as the creature sensed something was wrong and somehow had reasoned that it had something to do with his beloved master. Ironhide didn't bother to cast the robo-cat a reassuring glance. He was to fraggin' angry for it to do any good.

"So does this mean that glitch knows he's here?" Sunstreaker bit out his hands curling into fist as he fought with his fight response. He was currently imagining just how many ways he could brutally murder that pit spawned Shockwave while his only slightly more in control brother rested a hand on his shoulder trying to remind him via there sibling bond that the youngling was recharging a few chairs down.

"That has yet to be learned." Prowl answered, careful to try and keep the anger out of his voice. The intercepted message between a Decepticon scout, that Magnus's crew had captured, and Megatron describing an Autobot secret that the Decepticon Lord must know about at once had them all one edge. The scout had been smart enough to not name just what he'd learned only saying that Shockwave had sent him to investigate whatever it was. A couple of Magnus's frontlines had wound up offlineing the scout while they were trying to take him alive so no further questions could be asked. All Magnus's medic on medic, Quickfire, and his borrowed one, First Aid, could retrieve was the scout's last report back to base.

"Well we need to be finding out don't you think?" Ironhide ground out quietly trying to keep his angry spark from waking his youngling whom he refused to put down even if he was in desperate need of bath with paint splattered all over his frame.

"What's to be done, Prime?" Ratchet questioned darkly.

"We've been dancing around this for long enough." Optimus leaned back in his chair tapping a nervous finger on the table before him. "It's time we found out just what Megatron knows."

"In doing that we might be spilling our own secret." Prowl warned.

"If we do nothing we'll be blindsided." Jazz argued.

"And how do you suggest we go about finding out what the Decepticon Lord knows about the youngling, Jazz?" Prowl asked in curiosity.

"Let me go." Jazz turned his light optics to Optimus as he pushed himself to his feet leaning against the table. "Let me sneak in and find out."

"We're in!" Sideswipe and Sunstreaker spoke up in unison. They weren't about to sit around and wonder when the Decepticons were going to come and try to take their Half Pint. If Megatron was up to something they were going to find out what it was and make sure it blew up in his ugly faceplate.

Optimus glanced between his loyal warriors and one of his oldest friends knowing that the bots were very serious about what they were offering to do. Knowing that it was probably going to have to be done. Yet he also knew the dangers of sending the trio to try and find his older brother's hidden base and whatever he might be planning inside it.

Nodding slowly with a feeling that he was going to hate himself for it for a long time to come Optimus agreed. "Very well, but this is to be a stealth mission. There will be no shooting missiles at Megatron the nano-klick you find him." His gaze narrowed at the twins who rolled their optics, but nodded nonetheless. "Get in. Find out what he knows. Then get out and get your afts back here. I don't know how you'll go about doing it, Soundwave will probably be the best place to start, but find out if he knows about Bumblebee. Find out if that idiot Skywarp and that merciless Shockwave told Megatron about him. If they did, if he knows, find out what he's planning to do. If he knows nothing than get out without getting caught and don't blow anything up on the way out. We don't need him having any more reasons to storm this ship."

"With all do respect, Prime." Sideswipe started.

"If it is a threat to Half Pint then we will blow it up." Sunstreaker finished.

"We don't know what we're up against yet." Optimus held the twins in a stern glare. "I could be letting you walk into a trap."

"We can handle it, Optimus." Jazz assured his friend with his trademark smirk. "That fool won't know who punked him."

"It's for Bee." Sides held his leaders gaze. "We're not going to mess up."

"Something tells me we're going to regret this." Ratchet leaned heavily on the table his optics glancing from the volunteers, to Prime, and finally to the youngling deep in recharge in his guardians tight hold. Ironhide had yet to voice an opinion on the matter and Prowl was very obviously mentally running the odds the trio had.

"If it is a trick we could be conforming to him that we are hiding something." Ironhide put in. "Not to mention the fact that you three just might get your stupid afts offlined."

"Well now," Sideswipe leaned around his brother to smirk at Ironhide. "Would that be compassion, maybe, dare I say it, worry in your voice, Ironhide? For the likes of us?"

The black mech narrowed his optics, but could do nothing to truly hurt the warrior with Bee recharging in his arms. So he cast his gaze over to Ratchet.

"Would you mind?"

The medic grinned. "Not one bit." A loud clang followed that, but surprisingly didn't wake the youngling as he snuggled into Ironhide while Sides yelped in protest when the wrench bounced off his head.

"Oww what the Pit was that for?!"

"Because you don't know when to shut you damn vocal processor off." Sunny rolled his optics.

"It had absolutely nothing to do with worry about the likes of the three of you." Ironhide ground out carefully even if every mech in the room knew he was lying. "It's Bee I'm worried about."

The three volunteers went very still at that.

"He's lost enough already." Ironhide's optics drifted down to the tiny little mech curled up in the crook of his arm. "He doesn't need to lose anymore. And to be quite honest I don't want to have to explain to him why one or all of you didn't come back. He cares too much about you all to take it very well."

"Ironhide," Jazz spoke carefully his optics dancing around to more than just his lifelong friend. "This is hardly our first stealth mission. We'll be fine."

"No," Prowl crossed his arms over his chest. "You will be angry, and anger clouds judgment. Which in my opinion is what is happening right now. There are many secrets we hide that a scout would think his Lord should know. We have no proof it has anything to do with Bumblebee."

"I think we can handle it." Sunstreaker huffed. "Besides whether it is Half Pint the scout was talking about or not we still need to know just what that fool has been up too. He's been a little too quiet for my taste lately."

"If it were up to your taste there would never be an orn some bot wasn't in my med bay." Ratchet pointed out.

"So we fight?" Sideswipe shrugged. "It's what we do."

"Always has been." Sunstreaker added with a dark tone that, since his past was now common knowledge in this room, didn't go unnoticed.

"Always will be." Sides finished.

"Look," Jazz spoke up before the medic and the twins could start at each other again. "I'll keep these two in line and online. We'll find out what is going on and then will be back. Lil' Bee won't even know we left."

"Just be careful." Optimus warned with the implied threat of there being Pit to pay if they weren't. He wasn't found of losing any of his soldiers, but especially not any of these three.

Sides saluted with a laugh. "Got it boss bot, you can count on us."

* * *

Jazz dropped down from his hiding place over the arched grey steel door into a silent crouch, his dimed blue optics flashing down each end of the hall in wary. Sideswipe and Sunstreaker dropped down behind him as he pushed himself to his feet springing to the large key code box to the right of the door as Sideswipe and Sunstreaker hung back to his left the red mech's dual blades drawn out at the ready as he stared down one way the golden twin with his own blades drawn did the same to Jazz's right.

The short silver saboteur hissed quietly to himself as he tried a few number sets in the code lock coming up with nothing.

**"We haven't got all orn, Jazz." **Sunstreaker warned through comm link his frame quivering with adrenaline. His radar was on high alert as the dark, eerie, base swarmed with red optics that belonged to bots that would love to take each of them apart. The golden mech didn't fear the 'Cons that milled around oblivious to the spies that had snuck into Nemesis with ease. The murky blackness of twisting labyrinths of tunnels and underground caves that was the entrance to the Decepticon base hadn't been that hard for the trio to sneak their way into. They simply followed some idiotic drone until they found the hidden room they'd been looking for.

All they needed now was for Jazz to figure out how to get Soundwave's lab open.

**"Mute it!" **Jazz snapped shooting a glare before he turned his attention back to the code. _Come on Jazz think!_ The ninja chanted to himself. _It's just a code lock. Focus! _

Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep.

Nothing.

_Slag._

Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep.

Zilch.

_Frag! _

Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep.

Door still closed.

_Pit, fraggin', idiot door!_

**"Not tryin' to rush ya mech, but come on!" **Sides rushed as a dot appeared on his radar. **"We got incoming!"**

Bleep, bleep, bleep, bleep.

Swish!

**"Yes!" **Jazz fist pumped the air before he grabbed both mechs by the scruff bar yanking them into the dark lab. Only to stumble to a stop at what he found on the other side.

He gasped once trying to catch a breath, but it wouldn't come.

Sides and Sunny sucked in a terrified gasp as he released them and their optics found the image blinking on the screen before them. None of the rest of the freak show of a lab even processed to the trio as they stared in horror at the sight.

"Bee?" Sides whispered to the picture of his adorable little Half Pint that shown very clearly on one of Shockwave's monitors. The little youngling was laughing, playing with his stuffed bee, and appeared to be toddling his way down a hallway somewhere on the Autobot ship.

"Frag!" Sunstreaker hissed under his breath his fist clenching and starting to shake as it sank in.

They knew.

They fraggin' knew!

Jazz's hands clenched into fist trying to rein in his anger as he stared at the screen before him. Every program in him wanted to race out of the room, find that Pit-spawned Megatron, and tear his fraggin' optics out for daring to even _think_ he could see his Lil' Bee.

However, he couldn't.

Prowl's warning echoed in his audio processors making him shake his head clear. Attacking the Decepticon Lord was not the wises path to take. He had to get back to Prime with this information. Megatron could wait.

Grabbing a few data pads that were laying around Shockwave's cluttered lab he hissed to the twins.

"Grab anything that might tell us what they're planning. We're getting out of here!"

The twins didn't budge for a moment, both trying to get a grip on their own anger roaring like an inferno in their sparks, but they finally took a shared breath and starting grabbing. Stuffed subspaces and a few nano-kliks later the three slipped back out of Shockwave's lab vanishing back into the shadows of the halls of Nemesis heading back the way they came. Nothing got in the trios way as they followed their own hidden signatures to find their way out of the twisting maze that was Megatron's fortress. All three were too focused on getting home and finding a way to keep Bee safe that it didn't even register to any of them to wonder if that had all been far too easy.

* * *

Harsh red optics glowing with centuries of anger and hate, dark with deeds that most would shutter to even think about, were almost joyful as a towering grey mech leaned back in his metal thrown in the center of his hall bathed in darkness.

"They took the bait, my Lord." A mechanical, almost static like, voice rose up from the blackness as the stealthy silver mech stepped to his master's side his calculating red optics never meeting the commander.

"You have done well, Soundwave." Megatron's dark voice almost chuckled as he shifted in his jagged metal throne. A tiny flickering data chip in his hand displayed the very image he'd planted. Deceiver, the fallen scout, had done his job well. The foolish soldiers of his little brother came rushing in just as Soundwave predicted. Sneaking in and heading straight for the strange mech's lab they found the very thing they feared above all else. That precious little youngling of theirs flashing on the screen.

"Thank you, my Lord." Soundwave bowed slightly as he watched his master stare down at the image he had captured of the tiny mech. It spiked the bots curiosity, but he knew better than to question his lord. He was not as foolish as that power hungry Starscream, nor was he vile enough to think that he could somehow overthrow the Decepticon lord with 'logic'. Shockwave would pay for his foolishness one orn along with Starscream.

Soundwave was certain of that.

And Soundwave was never wrong.

However, even Soundwave had to speak about this.

"Though my lord. Not to question your judgment, but if you plan to follow the course of action you are currently taking I'm not certain it will be worth the cost."

"It will be worth it." Megatron assured his trusted right hand.

"The little mech will be a drain on resources. He will not be worth the trouble it will be to keep him alive. Not to mention the trouble of re-youngling knapping him."

Megatron chuckled darkly. "Ah that is where you are wrong my loyal Soundwave."

"My Lord?"

"He _will _be worth it."

Soundwave still wasn't completely sure what his dark master had planned, but he knew in the end it would not be for nothing. "It is not my place to question. I will return to my lab to see what Ravage and Laserbeak have learned."

However, Megatron spoke up stopping the Communications Officer.

"My brother truly is a fool." He snorted. "To get close to a creature so fragile and defenseless. Pathetic. But fret not," He smiled harshly to the image. "I have plans for the youngling. With him I could reach out and break Prime whenever I wanted. Though that would never do. No. Offlineing the runt would only make him a martyr to my _dear _little brother. What I've got planed for that tiny mech is much grander than that. He will be my _greatest _victory. I'll take Prime's precious hope and I'll tint it until all that he can recognize is the shell of what he once treasured! No, Soundwave, what I have planned for that youngling will be well worth the cost it will take to acquire and keep him. That much I assure you."

"The idea amongst the ranks will make your plan difficult to complete and keep the runt alive."

Megatron chuckled. "Oh fear not, Soundwave. Shockwave and Starscream will pay for keeping their little secret and they will watch in agony as their plan fails."

The emotionless officer snorted, his faceplate showing the tiniest hint of a smile even if it was for the briefest of nano-klicks as he nodded. Turning away from his master he spoke over his shoulder disappearing into the shadows. "This shall be quite entertaining to watch."

Snapping the picture screen shut Megatron curled his fist tight around it his harsh red optics glittering with vengeance. "Quite entertaining indeed."

* * *

***Dramatic music fades out***

**Dun, Dun, Duuuuuuuunnn!**

**I've been waiting one whole story and four chapters for this moment! And here it is!**

**Hopefully I didn't destroy Soundwave and Megatron too much. Evil beyond comprehension is kind of difficult to write. Yet it was surprisingly fun. Who knew? Then there is Soundwave . . . he actually talks kind of a lot in my story . . . he just does. Roll with it.**

**Oh, and who else thought Bee was adorable in this chapter? Than again I might be a little bias. **

**Anyway,**

**What did you think? A _whole_ lot happens in chapter 4. It was originally two because so much goes on, but I realized that split up they were just two short. So I combined them, and I think I like it better this way. Hope you guys do too.**

**Thanks again for the reviews, though I'll admit I was a little disappointed that there wasn't that much feedback on the last chapter. It was one of my favorites and it received the least reviews. No worries though, I'm just happy you guys are sticking with me. . . hopefully. **

**Because . . . .**

**The nasty truth has come out. Megatron knows about Bumblebee, the Autobots have fallen for his trap, and his evil plan is now in motion. Will he take our beloved Autobots' youngling? What did he mean when he said Shockwave and Starscream will pay for their secret? And what will become of Bee in the mix of all the chaos? **

**Well you're gonna have to stick around to find out.**

**The real action begins now. The past is about to come back and bite our valiant Autobots in the aft. Hard. Not to mention the truth is closing in on little Bumblebee and I seriously doubt even Ironhide and Optimus are going to be able to keep it at bay for much longer. **

**Until next time, please review it makes me write faster.**

**Chat with ya later.**

**-Jay**


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